Participatory Design of Multi-Use Platforms at Sea

Sander Van den Burg, Marian Stuiver, Jenny Norrman, Rita Garção, Tore Söderqvist, Christine Röckmann, Jan-Joost Schouten, Ole Petersen, Raul Guanche García, Pedro Diaz-Simal, Mark De Bel, Lucía Meneses Aja, Fabio Zagonari, Barbara Zanuttigh, Javier Sarmiento, Amerissa Giannouli and Phoebe Koundouri ()
Additional contact information
Sander Van den Burg: LEI Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague, The Netherlands
Marian Stuiver: Alterra Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Jenny Norrman: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
Rita Garção: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
Christine Röckmann: Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies (IMARES), Wageningen UR, PO Box 57, 1780 AB Den Helder, The Netherlands
Jan-Joost Schouten: Department Harbour, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Deltares, P.O. Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands
Ole Petersen: DHI, Agernalle 5, 2970 Horsholm, Denmark
Raul Guanche García: Environmental Hydraulics Institute, IH Cantabria, University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres, 15 Santander, Spain
Pedro Diaz-Simal: Environmental Hydraulics Institute, IH Cantabria, University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres, 15 Santander, Spain
Mark De Bel: Department Water Resources and Delta Management, Deltares, P.O. Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands
Lucía Meneses Aja: Environmental Hydraulics Institute, IH Cantabria, University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres, 15 Santander, Spain
Fabio Zagonari: Department of Economics, University of Bologna, via Angherà 22, 47921 Rimini, Italy
Barbara Zanuttigh: Department of Civil, Chemicals, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Javier Sarmiento: Environmental Hydraulics Institute, IH Cantabria, University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres, 15 Santander, Spain
Amerissa Giannouli: School of Economics, Athens University of Economics and Business, 28is Oktovriou 76, 15125 Athens, Greece

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: European oceans are subject to rapid development. New activities such as aquaculture and ocean energy have gained importance. This triggers interest in “multi-use platforms at sea” (MUPS), i.e. , areas at sea in which different activities are combined. MUPS are complex features with regards to technology, governance, and financial, socioeconomic, and environmental aspects. To identify realistic and sustainable solutions and designs for MUPS, the MERMAID project applied a participatory design process (PDP) involving a range of stakeholders representing companies, authorities, researchers, and NGOs. This paper evaluates if and how the participatory design process contributed to the design of multi-use platforms. It is based on interviews with the managers of the case study sites and a questionnaire administered to all stakeholders participating in the PDP workshops. Analyzing the four case studies, we conclude that the participatory design process has had a valuable contribution to the development of the four different designs of MUPS, even though the preconditions for carrying out a participatory design process differed between sites. In all four cases, the process has been beneficial in generating new and shared knowledge. It brought new design issues to the table and increased knowledge and understanding among the different stakeholders.

Keywords: participatory design; multi-use platforms at sea; offshore wind; ocean energy; aquaculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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