A City Portrait Canvas for Workshops

A workshop tool to evaluate strategies through the City Portrait’s ‘4 lenses’

NOTE FROM DEAL (April 2022): We have substantively updated this methodological handbook and incorporated it into a wider set of 'Doughnut Unrolled' tools for applying the ideas of Doughnut Economics to your place.

DEAL is keeping this legacy tool available on our platform for archiving but it will not be updated.

For DEAL's latest guidance on selecting targets and indicators, please use the Doughnut Unrolled: Exploring a Topic tool (available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese).


Version 1.1 (March 2021)

☒* También disponible en español abajo (PDF) *
* 下面也提供葡萄牙语（PDF) *
* Também disponível em português abaixo (PDF) *☒

Overview

The City Portrait Canvas is a workshop tool created by the Thriving Cities Initiative – a partnership between Doughnut Economics Action Lab, C40 Cities and Circle Economy. Changemakers can use this tool to foster big-picture thinking on how a particular city strategy may impact the world in which it is embedded, both socially and ecologically, locally and globally. 


The Canvas is designed for strategic policy development and analysis in workshop settings. It applies the City Portrait’s ‘4 Lenses’ conceptual framework as a basis for participants to consider the many complex interconnections between a city’s local aspirations – to be thriving people in a thriving place – and its global responsibilities – to respect the wellbeing of all people and the health of the whole planet. 


Why use it?

This is an easy-to-use and engaging workshop tool that is well-suited for small groups or breakout sessions (2–8 people per group) aiming to enhance the design of city strategies, policies and initiatives to meet 21st century challenges.


The tool is an integrated and ready-to-use set of resources (available as PDF in both A3 and A4 paper sizes) that includes: 

  • A blank ‘Canvas’ template of the 4 Lenses  
  • Step-by-step instructions 
  • Additional information and worksheets


Watch this 10-minute video for an illustrative example of how to use the City Portrait Canvas to create city strategies in a holistic way:


This content is hosted by a third party: YouTube (www.youtube.com). By clicking 'Show content' you confirm that you have read and agree to their Terms of service.

By clicking below you also consent to the creation of a cookie so we can remember your choice for one month. See our Privacy Notice for our full cookie policy.



Acknowledgements

The City Portrait Canvas was created by Max Russell, Ilektra Kouloumpi, Vera Charniak, and Nicolas Raspail from Circle Economy, with contributions from Julia Lipton from C40, Kate Raworth and Andrew Fanning from DEAL.

Contents

    Attachments

    Tags

    This tool is licensed under a Creative Commons BY SA 4.0 license. For full details visit our Licensing Rules.

    Comments

    2 comments
    Nicole Hartmann almost 5 years ago

    First of all, thank you so much for providing this great tool! I would also be happy to have access to the canvas in a format that can be easily adapted to other languages, as Francesca suggested.

    0 0
    Francesca Milocco almost 5 years ago

    Very useful tool! Is it available also as power point or other format that are more suitable for online collaboration instead that on paper?

    0 0

    Join the DEAL Community!

    Get inspired, connect with others and become part of the movement. No matter how big or small your contribution is, you’re welcome to join!

    Discover the community Join the community

    Terms of Use | Privacy Notice | Accessibility - © Doughnut Economics Action Lab (2025)