Welcome to the Urban Design Group
Founded in 1978, the Urban Design Group (UDG) is a campaigning membership organisation with over 1000 members who care about the quality of life in our cities, towns and villages, and believe that raising standards of urban design is central to its improvement.
The UDG website contains a wealth of information for anyone interested in urban design including details of urban design practices, university courses, publications and job vacancies, as well as future urban design events. Our regular email newsletter Urban Update is a one-stop-shop for urban design news, articles and blog posts.
Scroll down to read more about our key current initiatives:
- Strategic Urban Design
- Modernising Street Design Practice
- Increasing Local Authority Skills
- Making People Friendly Places
News |
Urban Design Awards |
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Thursday 28 March The Tab, Shoreditch, London
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Conference 2019 |
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SAVE THE DATE 27 September 2019 National Urban Design Conference Millenium Point, Birmingham |
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Join The Conversation |
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It is 25 years since Francis Tibbalds' seminal 'Making People-Friendly Towns' was first published. To commerate the continuing relevance of his work Tibbalds invite you to join an open campaign to put people at the heart of planning, design and engineering. |
Reports, Surveys and Initiatives |
Strategic Urban design Initiative 2019 |
Achieving good urban form through the local plan processThe UDG is launching a service to advise local authorities on strategic urban design issues in the local plan process modelled on the design review process. The Strategic Urban Design Initiative will provide support at critical stages of the plan making process to ensure that there is a strong design input into shaping towns or city quarters. |
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Street Design in the UKPilot Survey 2018 |
Pilot survey reveals widespread failure to update highways standardsFollowing the UDG 2018 survey which showed that most highway authorities are still using 1960's street design standards, the UDG is to working to ensure that they adopt standards which reflect best practice, comply with professional codes of conduct and discharge statutory and common law duties. |
Electric Vehicles: a threat to Cities?Conference Report 2018 |
Are electric vehicles the solution to urban movement? Following presentations from 12 leading speakers, delegates at the UDG - London Living Streets conference went away in grave doubt. |
Urban Design Skills in English Local AuthoritiesUCL - UDG - Place Alliance Report Sept 2017 |
Housing delivery under threat through a lack of design skills in planning departments The UK Government, both in its manifesto and in the recent Housing Green Paper, committed itself to a step change in the delivery of high quality new homes across the country. Research supported by the UDG puts those aspirations in doubt because of worsening design skills gaps in English local planning authorities. |
Latest on UrbanNous |
@UDGUrbanUpdate |
Urban Update |
Urban Update is a regular free news service for people with an interest in the design of cities, towns and villages. It covers latest news, research, events and jobs. Sign up here.
Urban Update - Latest Research and International News
Canada
Sidewalk Labs unveils design for neighbourhood in Toronto "future city"
China
Urban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / URBANUS
France
New public pissoirs in Paris...
URBAN UPDATE
17 August 2018
International News and Research
Forthcoming Events
Career Opportunities
Urban
Update is a free service from the Urban Design...
Australia
'No regard for design and beauty': Why Bondi Junction is an eyesore
Final vision for major inner Melbourne urban renewal precinct released
Holistic landscape architecture...
Europe
Skanderbeg Square project in Tirania Albania wins 2018 European prize for Urban Public Space
Australia
Building boom: 'We have allowed far too much crap to be built'
New...
Urban Design Around the World
Australia
Australian cities are lagging behind in greening up their buildings
Local government eyes social media for feedback
Canada
More Burnaby demovictions to be...
List of Recognised Practitioners
Current List of Recognised Practitioners
Recognised Practioners in Urban Design are committed professionals with at least five years relevant experience (or 3 years plus a diploma in urban design or equivalent), It is a designation that is being increasingly recognised by industry and clients as carrying weight. Click here for further information.
Tailored Insurance for Urban Design Practices
Find out about the bespoke insurance scheme for urban design practices developed by the Urban Design Group in association with AIM Risk Services including Professional Indemnity, Office Contents, Public Liability, Employer’s Liability and Management Liability insurance tailored specifically for members’ needs.
