Architecture live projects have been undertaken at this institution since 2009. The completion of New Wortley Community Centre (NWCC), a £759,497 building is the most complex. Using the definition of co-design put forward by Sanders and Stappers referring “to the creativity of designers and people not trained in design working together in the design development process”, stakeholders including students and tutors of architecture, graphic art and design, landscape architecture, product design and creative writing, community association, service users, contractors and design consultants, collaborated to design the building as an example of co-design. Co-design is presented as a situated learning environment and co-existing in both the academy and community it is further differentiated. This paper describes and evaluates an emergent model of co-design adopted by the writers, considering the positive and negative outcomes, with the aim of evolving the methodology for forthcoming live projects involving students and external communities. Extending the fora of co-design workshops used throughout the design of the building, the reflections, perceptions and personal learning experiences of the participants are collected using face-to-face dialogue and critical discussion. Evaluation takes the form of summative qualitative analysis and involves the co-design group in forming conclusions for final consideration of the writers. The results suggest that: a, co-design fosters situated learning environments where learning is deep and the experience is rewarding for all co-designers. b, situated learning environments of formal learners from the academy (students) and informal learners from the community working together has a positive and reciprocal effect on their learning. c, academy and community collaborations have a beneficial social, cultural and economic effect. d, the co-design process to deliver the NWCC has established a co-design methodology. By reflecting on aspects which were successful alongside those which were problematic the co-design method is further informed for new live projects being undertaken. This model of co-design, where the academy and the community work together on a design project has generated meaningful, diverse and rich learning experiences for all co-designers that also contributes to economic, social and cultural regeneration in the community. This experience has identified key characteristics of academy and community co-design that can be activated in a co-design methodology for future co-design projects
