‘Place-making’ to be explored by multidisciplinary group
Published On Fri 7 Nov 2014 by Roddy Isles
The challenge of how to create quality places that enhance lives will be explored at a symposium at the University of Dundee on Friday, 14th November.
The University’s Geddes Institute for Urban|Rural Research will welcome more than 100 delegates from industry, academia and Government for the ‘Professions, place-making and the public: what next?’ event at the Dalhousie Building from 12-5pm on Friday, 14th November.
The interdisciplinary experts attending include policy makers, developers, clients, architects and planners who will be travelling from across the UK for the event, the fourth in a series of national symposia developed around the theme of ‘Place Making’ and run jointly with partners and collaborators.
Difficult economic and environmental macro-conditions mean that governments, clients, communities, and scholars are increasingly challenging built environment professionals to create quality places which make a difference for people “on the ground”.
In light of this, and the need to respond to market-driven demand, the symposium will explore the changing nature of professionals in place-making, specifically concentrating on their responsibilities towards civil society for the creation and maintenance of the ‘public good’ in the built. It will look at what is currently happening, what needs to be improved and what do we want to happen?
Dr Husam Al Waer, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Design at the University, said, “Successful place-making is based on knowledge of what actually works in practice and what needs improving.
Better place-making solutions require shared long-term visions, responsiveness to context, effective processes, deep understanding of places, and sensitivity to community objectives in use but professional bodies have to reconcile both place making and property market outcomes.
“These challenges are of concern to all the built environment and urban design professions, as they have interconnected and collective responsibilities. They must find ways of getting involved in proactive ‘market shaping’, assessing future needs, demands and risks (at appropriate scales), taking longer-term responsibility for learning through the delivery of place-based objectives.
The event will involve presentation from key note speakers followed by group discussions aiming to determine whether delivering sustainable places indicates a need for a wider examination of the developing nature of professional engagement with the public and the professional’s role in society.
The Geddes Institute for Urban|Rural Research focuses on robust evaluation of current professional practice in spatial design and planning and on the critical assessment of new ideas and methods. Through these activities, it provides a practice, research and learning framework for promoting better place-making.
More information is available at http://www.dundee.ac.uk/geddesinstitute/news/2014/article/place-making-symposium
Roddy Isles
Head of Press
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
MOBILE: 07800 581902
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk