Do-It-Together Guidelines

The Do-it-Together (DIT) Community Guide Book project, initiated in April 2021 in collaboration with the Public Landscape and Urbanism Studio (PLUS), introduces an innovative model of participatory design that empowers communities to reclaim and enhance their shared spaces. Funded by PLUS, the project directly engaged with the complexities of politically contested and unauthorized land, focusing on Thiruvanmiyur Kuppam in Chennai. The outcome was a set of three highly visual, instruction-based pamphlets—Healthy Commons, Active Commons, and Productive Commons—which function as step-by-step guides for residents to implement low-cost, adaptable interventions that transform everyday public environments. Designed as playful yet practical manuals, the pamphlets bridge the gap between design knowledge and grassroots action, enabling community members to reimagine their surroundings with agency and resilience. Together, these outputs demonstrate how instruction-based engagement art can evolve into actionable strategies.