Equipping placemakers to shape a thriving and equitable city
As PFI contracts expire, the workforce transition can be just as critical as assets and handback obligations. Our second expert forum for councils examined why early planning is essential to protect organisational knowledge, manage risk and shape future services. Following our recent research on private finance initiative (PFI) contract expiry … Read more
Child Friendly-Chingford brings together local communities, the council and partners to rethink how children and young people experience their neighbourhood. Waltham Forest council officers showed us how investment in public spaces is creating healthier, safer and inclusive neighbourhoods. Chingford is undergoing a significant shift towards becoming a more child-friendly neighbourhood. … Read more
The post-occupancy evaluation of this Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park housing development shows resident involvement is key. After London Legacy Development Corporation commissioned us to review its data, here’s what we learned about understanding the lived experience. Understanding how places really work once people move in is essential if we want … Read more
We Made That and PRD did a health check of the city’s cultural production spaces for the Greater London Authority. They found the culture sector is under pressure but adapting with ingenuity, says EVE AVDOULOS, while AMANDA ROBINSON highlights the importance of neighbourhood-level data. Cultural production spaces in London such … Read more
At the graduation of our fourth Emerging Talent Programme cohort, SABRINA SAFDAR gave a powerful speech about the importance of belonging and creating genuinely inclusive workplaces. Find out why opening the door isn’t enough. I’d like to have a conversation about people, because despite what some headlines might suggest, EDI … Read more
This highly employable group of career starters just graduated from our Emerging Talent Programme. Congratulations to them all with a massive thank you to the mentors and host organisation who made the programme possible. The Emerging Talent Programme graduation marks the fourth cohort to complete the programme, which launched in … Read more
From extreme heat and water resilience to loneliness and community engagement, community-led crisis responses create a city that’s resilient by design. Learn about our leadership candidates innovative solutions and find out who won the audience vote. As a global capital of over 9 million people, generating nearly a quarter of … Read more
The town has been written off in the past. Now Slough is one of the most interesting regeneration stories in the South East, with the borough council as the partner for inward investment. We went on a field trip to find out more. For years, Slough was better known for … Read more
Public–private partnerships work best when councils clarify objectives, align internally and share risk. Our latest webinar with Opportunity London and Arcadis highlights a strategic approach to choosing the right delivery model and building trust. Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are an increasingly familiar part of the local government landscape as London boroughs … Read more
Accessible design is baked into the regulations but the needs of neurodivergent people and people with learning disabilities can be overlooked. We visited Newham to find out about the council’s inclusive design guidance, and if it spells the end of open-plan living. When Newham Council planners talked to residents about … Read more
We visited Ebury Bridge in Pimlico as part of our placemaking project to find out how London’s place makers are responding to the challenge of delivering high-quality places under significant pressure and constraint. One of London’s most ambitious council-led regeneration projects, Ebury Bridge Estate is transforming a 1930s housing estate … Read more
We’re asking our network for examples of “active design” that incorporates active lifestyles in placemaking projects as part of an important new project with London Sport. Active design focuses on how buildings, streets, and public spaces can encourage people to move more in everyday life – including walking, wheeling, and … Read more