As you know, each succeeding generation of products and services is increasingly co-designed by you, and the internet is the primary tool. However, what are the tools to use when it comes to co-designing your next home, workplace, building, block, community...?

Enter Google Sketch-Up - and yes, the downloadable program is free. Check out the demonstration video here - it’s easy to use, and certainly for pro-amateurs (people who know how to teach themselves skills via the internet).

How could this tool be used to turn concept into reality? It’d be fundamental to a beta community, where different members exchange the sketch-up to add different levels of detail, such as letting a landscape pro-amateur add to the streetscape, or a color expert pro-amateur provide some attractive schemes. Of course, soon enough, the tool will be entirely web-based to make this process even easier.

Either way, shouldn’t you be part of the key decision-making in what your home, community looks like?