Involving stakeholders in cross-border regional design

Regional design is a means to develop integrated spatial plans with a long term perspective in close collaboration with stakeholders. In doing so, regional design shows similarities to participatory design. In this paper, a regional design process is compared to the basic principles and values of participatory design. The regional design process showed strong signs of mutual learning, embeddedness in actual situations, using participatory tools and techniques, and opening up to alternative visions. The democracy oriented principles equalizing power relations and committing to democratic practices were also present in the regional design case, but not in a emancipatory or empowering way. The regional design case showed the signs of a fraternalistic approach to participatory design, in which multiple voices and perspectives grapple with each other. Regional design can learn from participatory design theory and practice, as it resonates with the principles and values of participatory design.