report on the Symposium proceedings by Architecture and Design Scotland and University of Dundee

Masterplanning in Current Conditions Slides

Organised By Dr. Husam Al Waer

Themes of the symposium:

Master-planning has had a strong revival in recent years. However, significant socio-demographic changes are on-going amidst the constraints of the current economic stagnation, the policy of reduced public spending and added pressure the search for growth places on the environment. This changing environment poses a major challenge for master-planning. The way we conceive of master-planning now requires re-visiting. The traditional perspective of master-planning as a design-led activity concerned with the architectural form of buildings, spaces and infrastructures which is not only out-dated, but lacks the instruments needed to realize a visually pleasing townscape that is capable of sustaining such development. Uncertainty affecting market conditions and the availability of investment, as well as policy change will affect how master-planning can meet the challenge sustainable development poses. The symposium explores how the 'master-planning process' can meet this challenge and become the basis of just such a sustainable development.

Three presentations shaped the symposium:

How can a sustainable master plan create value for local people?

Presenter: Professor Brian M Evans, Partner, Gillespies: Brian has over 30 years experience of strategic and detailed landscape design. Brian has led projects throughout the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, the Middle East and PRC. His projects have won many prestigious awards. He has held two professorships - with Chalmers University, Gothenburg,Sweden and Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland. He has acted as a Government adviser on Landscape and Design to the Scottish, UK and Dutch Governments.www.gillespies.co.uk

Masterplanning as medium-term placemaking

Presenter: Kevin Murray is a highly experienced town planner and urbanist, with over 30 years experience in the fields of planning, regeneration, urban design and economic development. He has worked in UK local government and has also been a director of two international multi-disciplinary consultancies, EDAW and Tibbalds Monro. He is Chair of The Academy of Urbanism, and Past President of the Royal Town Planning Institute. www.kevinmurrayassociates.com

Ninety-four per cent of masterplans fail. What can we learn from that, and how can we make the most of what is still one of the most powerful concepts in urban design?

Presenter: Rob Cowan, director of Urban Design Skills (UDS), is one of the UK's most experienced urban design trainers and authors of design guidance. He was the joint author of By Design, and the author of three design guides for the Scottish Government. He has originated three influential urban design methods: the Placecheck method of urban design audit; the skills appraisal method Capacitycheck; and the design appraisal method Qualityreviewer.www.urbandesignskills.com

The presentations were followed by an open discussion of the changes required to achieve a culture of practice which can realise high quality living environments.