Grayscale Collaborative

Our team is committed to participatory design and planning strategies that lead to more fair, just, and inclusive spaces in the built environment. We believe that everyone should have a say in decisions about their community, and we work with clients, residents, and other partners in collaborations that meaningfully involve people from diverse backgrounds. We work with clients and partners to realize the following three impacts across the lifetime of every project: Non-traditional Partnerships Our team helps build nontraditional partnerships among government agencies, private nonprofits, community residents, design professionals, and other civic constituents. Our process involves historical and technical analysis alongside narrative-based power mapping exercises, convening diverse groups, fostering transparency, and promoting equitable decision-making that lead to outcomes that benefit all involved. Equitable Decision-making Strategies Our team evaluates planning and design processes to intentionally create more opportunities for traditionally underrepresented community members to hold greater decision-making power in how places are envisioned, built, and managed over the long term. By working across disciplines and experiences, we proactively address areas of tension and historical trauma and promote solutions rooted in mutual benefit and power sharing. Spaces and Places of Belonging Our approach to planning and design involves uplifting the perspectives of traditionally disinvested communities and creating platforms for more democratic exchange and engagement. We believe that by centering the views of those at the margins, public and private actors can create more accessible, welcoming, and livable spaces for everyone.