Mathenesserplein, a large square in Rotterdam-West, has long been seen as an underutilised space with potential to contribute to sustainability, climate adaptation, and social cohesion. This graduation project explores how participatory design can support neighbourhood transformation by centering the voices and experiences of local residents.

The project combined literature review, site observations, and ethnographic research with field activities developed together with residents and students. These activities included a card-based conversation tool with parents at the local school, a public flower vote to discuss greening proposals, a prioritisation matrix co-created with stakeholders, and the design of the Community Chronicle as an ongoing communication and feedback platform. Each method was prototyped in context to test how residents could be engaged in ways that fit into their everyday routines, while also creating opportunities for dialogue with municipal actors.

Findings show that participation in neighbourhood transformation requires more than one-off consultations: it depends on gradual trust-building, repeated interactions, and visible feedback loops that allow residents to see how their contributions shape outcomes. Tools such as the Community Chronicle demonstrated potential to sustain engagement beyond individual activities by providing a recognizable and accessible channel for updates and input.

The project delivers both a set of participatory tools and an iterative engagement growth model that municipalities can adapt in similar contexts. It contributes to the field of participatory urban design by showing how design research can scaffold inclusive, situated, and ongoing processes of co-creation in neighbourhood transformation.