Roger Evans, urban designer, architect and town planner, explains what makes good places and shapes urban design ideas.
Taken from the Urban Design Directory 2020/21
Articles
ideasSPACE
James Delaney is a Board member for Block by Block, which is a foundation backed by Mojang, Microsoft, and UN-Habitat to empower communities to turn neglected urban spaces into vibrant places. Their work ensures that marginalised voices are brought to the fore to help co-design the places we live, making for stronger communities, better public spaces, and a fairer society.
UDG Event Review
Over 750 participants attended this introduction to the National Model Design Code (NMDC) led by Joanna Averley, the MHCLG’s Chief Planner, as part of the new National Planning Policy Framework.
ideasSPACE
For some working from home is a positive experience, citing better work/home balance, more opportunity for exercise, healthier eating and even more time for chores. But others - depending on the design of neighbourhoods or houses - have found it a huge challenge. So how do we put this right, and design for a future with increased working from home?
UDG Event Review
Chaired by Christopher Martin of Urban Movement, UDG Chair Katja Stille introduced this webinar series intended to reflect on urban design’s contribution to a post COVID future.
My Favourite Plan
Dudley Recreation & Open Space Subject Plan prepared and adopted in the mid-1980s under the planning regime of the time
Climate Change Global Digest
After a hiatus in the first six months of the pandemic, a growing amount of research, strategies and action is now starting again. A number of organisations have recently issued research and strategies designed to steer a path to recovery and climate resilience. Here are a few examples of some of those recently announced.
Endpiece
Selfridges in Birmingham is much celebrated, but it is a problematic building. I suggest that it can be assessed against three criteria. Firstly, as a piece of corporate publicity. Here I would describe it as brilliant. The managing director of Selfridges, Vittorio Radice, instructed his architects Future Systems to design a building that was so distinctive that it did not need a sign saying Selfridges.
Behind the Image
A highly valued public square that aims to reconnect a series of public spaces and honour the area’s dynamic multi-cultural community.
ideasSPACE
Cities have to be a moveable feast - a bounty that supports life and happiness but is flexible enough to change to the needs of human beings. Cities have to be able to implement fast urban change with local people to improve quality of life for all.
ideasSPACE
If we are to make stronger communities, if we are to make cities more equitable, we need to be building homes and communities that people want to live in, not ones that they just have to accept. And this means delivering quality.
ideasSPACE
Skateboarding catalyses the forgotten parts of our cities, and injects intense energy, culture, and life. Why then is it viewed with such derision, and what should we be doing differently?
ideasSPACE
Designing successful walking environments has the power to successfully deliver across, and to influence, an enormous gamut of policy agendas, making urban design and transport investment unique in its ability to deliver better lives for everyone. Politics and urban design have a very successful collaborative future together.
ideasSPACE
The way we live, the environment, the climate, our mood and happiness, and all of society are shaped by how we eat, our food culture. If we are to plan for healthy and successful places, we have to plan for food.
ideasSPACE
At the root of building accessible, enjoyable, and democratic cities is planning for places that support us in our development from childhood to adulthood. Eliminating the crisis of childhood obesity is a cornerstone of this work.
ideasSPACE
Places shape our behaviour, and behaviour over time is culture. Art and culture is what defines places, defines societies and what makes us human. How do we embed a wry smile in urban design, and how can we drop some optimism bombs to spread some joy and laugher? Because after this year we sure need it.
ideasSPACE
Urban design is as much the design of places as it is working with human behaviour - so why don’t we consider psychology alongside architecture, engineering, and urban design? We say we need to, let’s find out how.
UDG Event Review
Design Codes are a key component of the planning system proposed in the White Paper and argues that development that conforms to code will fast track through the planning process...
UDG Event Review
The Government’s Planning White Paper on the future of planning Delivering Quality Towns and Cities has provoked numerous reactions, both positive and negative.
Climate Change Global Digest
The implications of the current pandemic on the climate crisis continue to dominate debate and research, in particular, the degree to which the pandemic might allow more significant gains to be made with respect to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This article highlights some of the most interesting early findings and the projects leading the way.
