Urban planning as ‘great dialogue’? Developing polyphonic planning practices in a process of hybrid participation, case Viiskorpi, Espoo, Finland

Abstract

This article delves into participatory urban planning practices through the lens of Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of polyphony. We explore how polyphonic planning, which requires multiple voices in a dialogue and representations revealing various perspectives, can be achieved in a hybrid participatory planning process. Our action research, conducted as part of an actual planning process, reveals that while hybrid participation can foster dialogue and increase polyphony, it requires participatory knowledge sharing, public assessment of planners’ interpretations, and a clear definition of concepts. We also suggest improving the vertical dialogue between planning levels.