Participatory activities that support social acceptance in urban space regeneration: case of Dobczyce

This paper examines the role of early, informal participatory activities – particularly soft measures – as a preparatory foreground for statutory consultation procedures in urban space regeneration. Using the transformation of a local centre as a case study, the research combines a literature review with empirical investigation, including a residents’ survey (n = 204), in situ observation, and two iterations of design workshops that generated 32 architectural and landscape proposals. These proposals were subsequently presented to the local community and discussed in an open public forum. The findings indicate that soft engagement performs three complementary functions: diagnostic, by revealing users’ needs and identifying potential conflicts early; negotiating, by facilitating dialogue through visual concepts and reducing the cognitive distance between experts and residents; and legitimising, by building social acceptance for proposed spatial solutions. The study highlights the need for hybrid participatory strategies that combine digital tools with in situ activities and recommends formally including a soft engagement phase in the regeneration of the local centre, along with mechanisms to translate participatory outcomes into evaluation criteria and implementation decisions. The paper offers practical guidance for local authorities and designers and provides empirical support for staged, human-centred design approaches to regenerating small towns.