Model City - Gallery Co-design

Model City was a participatory design project conceived, developed, delivered and evaluated by Becky Hatchett using co-design approaches with the London Transport Museum and a group of young volunteer consultants. The project brought together young people, designers and museum staff to explore how complex urban systems—such as transport networks, infrastructure and data—can be understood and communicated through creative practice.

Through a series of collaborative workshops, participants researched London’s transport system, experimented with data visualisation and developed ideas for reimagining the museum’s Connections map, an interactive display exploring how people move through the city. Working through a co-design process, the group created visual concepts, produced 3D-printed models of buildings and infrastructure, and developed interactive mapping activities designed to help museum audiences better understand the hidden systems shaping city life.

The project culminated in an exhibition in the museum’s main gallery, produced by the young participants themselves, where their models, ideas and interpretations were presented to the public. Model City demonstrates Becky Hatchett’s approach to creative engagement—using collaborative design processes to help participants explore complex systems, build confidence and contribute new perspectives to public conversations about the environments in which they live.

For more information on the project visit the blog created by the young designers during their time on the project.