{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,26]],"date-time":"2026-04-26T14:57:07Z","timestamp":1777215427343,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1652832000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Brigstow Institute (seedcorn funding) at the University of Bristol"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["MTI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>For many living in rural areas, the loss of traditional community assets and increased social fragmentation are a common feature of everyday life. The empty village church is a poignant symbol of these challenges; yet, these are sites that hold considerable potential for new placemaking solutions that respond to the needs of communities today. This means looking beyond \u201cthe traditional village church\u201d to recognise a longer history of church adaptation and resilience within the lives of communities. In this paper we ask: how can co-design, projected through a Wicked problems and Clumsy solutions lens, help imagine new futures for communities and their historic churches today? Clumsy solutions consider a plurality of different perspectives on the nature of problems and their resolution to deliver more effective solutions with broad appeal. In the search for clumsiness, we turn to \u2018long history\u2019 and \u2018slow technology\u2019 for inspiration, uncovering deeper resonance with historical communities of place and anchoring that continuity within church sites themselves. Our paper demonstrates how Wicked\/Clumsy thinking can account for the challenges faced by rural communities today, bootstrap co-design activities in the development of clumsy solutions, and uncover clumsiness in long history and slow technology dimensions\u2014together laying the foundation for new placemaking strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/mti6050040","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T23:14:26Z","timestamp":1652915666000},"page":"40","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Medievals and Moderns in Conversation: Co-Designing Creative Futures for Underused Historic Churches in Rural Communities"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Timothy J.","family":"Senior","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Supersum Limited, 71\u201375 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5123-1023","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tom","family":"Metcalfe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Richmond Building, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1LN, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6028-7010","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stuart","family":"McClean","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health and Social Wellbeing, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9095-3902","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexander","family":"Wilson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9343-9837","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simon","family":"Bowen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Open Lab, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5TG, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marianne","family":"Ailes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Modern Languages, University of Bristol, 17 Woodland Rd., Bristol BS8 1TE, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ed","family":"McGregor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Churches Conservation Trust, St. Thomas\u2019 Church, Thomas Lane, Bristol BS1 6JG, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01405730","article-title":"Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning","volume":"4","author":"Rittel","year":"1973","journal-title":"Policy Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Verweij, M., and Thompson, M. 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