Urban Update

URBAN DESIGN JOURNAL
Latest edition on SCANDANAVIA AND THE NORDIC REGION

JOHN BILLINGHAM
Stalwart of the Urban Design Group and former editor of the journal sadly passed away this week

FOUNDATION CERTIFICATE IN URBAN DESIGN
3 day course endorsed by the UDG

LATEST NEWS + RESEARCH

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 
The Cyfarthfa Foundation | Design South East | East Suffolk Council | Lichfields | The Paul Hogarth Company | Planned Resources (Melbourne) | Savills Urban Design Studio | Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design | Turley | Urban Green

 

Urban Design Journal

The latest edition of Urban Design, sent to all UDG members, provides inspiration with articles on SCANDANAVIA AND THE NORDIC REGION including:

  • Urban Design in Scandinavia and the Nordic Region | Paul Woodville, guest topic editor
  • Bioclimatic Urbanism: Ideas from Arctic Sweden | David Chapman
  • A Feminist Approach to Promoting Social Sustainability | Bettina Werner and Amalie Gammelgaard
  • Green Thresholds | Susan Carruth and Kare Stokholm Poulsgaard
  • Towards Integrated Energy and Climate Masterplanning | Andreas Eggersten Teder
  • Trondheim’s Urban Ecology Experimental Zone | Michael Gruner and Alise Plavina
  • Community Engagement in Aarhus | Stephen D Willacy
  • Water as Public Realm in Nordic Cities | Karl Dubois

Plus the regular features… Climate Change Global Digest, Urban Design Library, Book Reviews and more.

Accompanied by How to Make People Friendly Places - Lessons from the National Urban Design Awards 2021 (more on this in next week's Urban Update).

 

John Billingham

We are very sad to report the death of John Billingham. John’s energy and vision were instrumental in shaping the Urban Design Group, and the evolution of the practice of urban design in the UK and overseas. He leaves a proud legacy that will long outlast his lifetime - something to which everyone involved in urban design should aspire. A full obituary will appear in Urban Design 162 LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN.

 

Update

The quest for level footways

We reported in last week’s Urban Update about the very few local authorities who require level footways for pedestrians and wheelchair users, with the vast majority using standard details that involve the footway being interrupted at private driveways by a vehicle crossover with a crossfall extending the entire width of the footway. We are pleased to report that Bournemouth and Poole council has just (January 2022) introduced new parking standards which require level footways.
READ MORE

Unless local authorities specify and require level footways, claims over encouraging active lifestyles and sustainable travel ring hollow.

Graphic from the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Parking SPD

 

Training

Looking for a short course in Urban Design?

3-Day Comprehensive Foundation Certificate in Urban Design
Endorsed by the Urban Design Group
20-22 June 2022 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Discounted rate available for public sector workers

This course deals with urban design, but you don’t need to live or work in a city to benefit from it. We welcome all applications from rural areas, as this course benefits anybody with an interest in planning and design for the built environment. Inclusivity is at the heart of what we do.

  • There are no entry-level qualifications
  • The course is delivered through a range of classroom/lecture theatre-type learning, site visits, and walking tours
  • The course takes place in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, and learners must attend in person for the duration of the 3-day course
  • There will be virtual post-course sessions to consolidate your learning and to help you apply your new skills in the real world
  • The course is delivered in English both verbally and written
  • The course is UK-based, but its content is transferrable to global contexts

FIND OUT MORE

 

Non-UDG Events

RTPI
Viability assessments in planning and plan-making
Tuesday 25 Jan 2022 @12:30-1:30

Design Surrey
Masterclass: Delivering Zero Carbon: Zero Carbon explained and the role of the built environment
Wednesday 26 January 2022 @ 9:30-1.00

Academy of Urbanism
Urban markets as economic, cultural and social drivers
Thursday 27 Jan 2022 @ 10:00

Trees and Design Action Group
Connecting urban green space, health and climate
Monday 2 February 2022 @ 3:00-5:00

How can we make the connection between urban and peri-urban green space, human health, & climate change? Open to all.
 
• With Kathy Wolf: How can we optimise the climate and human health outcomes of urban forestry to provide professionals who are working at the intersection of climate, public health and urban forestry with resources to support climate adaptation planning and activities?
• With Julia Thrift: Is it time to radically rethink the purpose of England’s green belts to improve their accessibility, quality and benefits to people, the environment and the economy?

TCPA
Webinar: Planning for education in new places
Thursday 24 Feb @ 10:00-11:30

Kent Design
Masterclass: Shaping Liveable Neighbourhoods: Delivering well-designed, higher density neighbourhoods
Tuesday 15 March 2022 @ 9:30-12:00

 

News + Research

 
Natural Environment

Earth on trajectory to Sixth Mass Extinction
'Drastically increased rates of species extinctions and declining abundances of many animal and plant populations are well documented, yet some deny that these phenomena amount to mass extinction  This denial is based on a biased view of the crisis which focuses on mammals and birds and ignores invertebrates, which of course constitute the great majority of biodiversity.
READ MORE

Plans to protect England's national parks set out
READ MORE

Biodiversity Net Gain consultation
Consultation closes at 11:45pm on 5 April 2022
READ MORE

Developments expected to deliver 10% boost to biodiversity
READ MORE

Star Count 2022
takes place between 26 February - 6 March 2022
READ MORE

Urban areas can provide a habitat for bats
If certain conditions are met:

  • Extensive reduction of artificial light at night to the absolute minimum needed for human activities 
  • Maintaining existing and creating new vegetation patches where possible. It is essential to connect these fragments with each other and with water bodies via uninterrupted vegetation and dark corridors – eg residential garden corridors and tree lines

The investigation shows that even cities can provide suitable habitat for protected and threatened species when these recommendations are followed.(Berlin)
READ MORE

Man builds enough nest boxes to house half the UK population of swifts
While it may seem impossible for an individual to take on the world’s problems, this example shows that perhaps our lives do offer the chance to make a difference.
READ MORE

Humans, Health, Society

World Population
China’s birth rate falls
READ MORE
 
COVID
One in 10 people may still be infectious for COVID after 10 days, new research indicates
READ MORE

Politics, Philosophy, Economics

Support for populist politics ‘collapsed’ during the pandemic – global report by University of Cambridge
The first months of the pandemic saw many political leaders get a boost in ratings - a classic 'rally round the flag' effect in troubled times, say researchers. However, the approval ratings of populist leaders the world over began declining almost as soon as coronavirus hit, and have continued to sink ever since.
READ MORE

1,000% increase in the number of homes listed for short term lets in the past six years
CPRE shows that between 2015 and 2021 there has been a ‘surge’ in short stay holiday rentals, which is ‘crippling’ the residential market particularly in staycation hotspots and rural areas. In September 2021, there were 148,000 homes available on Airbnb-style lets. At the same time, 176,000 rural families were on social housing waiting lists.
READ MORE
 
Infrastructural Optimism
Understanding a political bias towards road construction?
READ MORE

Working from home
Survey finds 49 per cent of people feel their property is unsuitable for working from home:

  • 7.5 million people hope to work from home on a permanent basis, which is double the pre-lockdown estimate
  • 50% of younger people are negatively affected by a lack of workspace at home
  • 69% of respondents said they would prefer an additional room in their home as a dedicated office space

Planning policies are often directed towards providing 1 and 2 bedroom homes
READ MORE
 
The Big Idea that could fix the housing crisis
READ MORE

Towards the circular economy
Creating renewable recyclable plastics
READ MORE

Free choice of schools
Parents in England given multiple options for their child’s school are no happier about education than those in Scotland who have little choice. Results of Survey published in Journal of  Social Science
READ MORE
 
The free choice of schools has major and long term consequences - greater travel distances to school lead to increased car use, greater congestion and pollution, reduced levels of physical activity. They also reduce the likelihood that the child will be allowed to travel to school independently. The impact applies not just to journeys to and from school, but also in journeys to meet friends, and not only the children, but also the parents and carers. The consequence is spiralling car dependency.
 
According to the National Travel Survey, between 2002 and 2019, the distance travelled on journeys to school made by car increased by over 20.3 percent, while the distance travelled by bicycle 9.5 percent decrease.

Energy, Climate Change

Work underway to develop cheaper catalysts to produce green hydrogen
Green hydrogen accounted for less than 1 percent of world production in 2020.  The cost of the process is thought to be the barrier. 
READ MORE

Definitions

  • grey hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels
  • blue hydrogen is produced using non-renewable energy
  • green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy

Energy Earthshot
The US department of Energy’s The first Energy Earthshot (Hydrogen Shot), launched June 7, 2021 seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% to $1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade ("1 1 1").
READ MORE

Movement

How cyclists can deter close-passing drivers
READ MORE

Misplaced understanding about street safety is not an accident
READ MORE


International News

Australia

The Singapore-inspired idea for using super for housing that could cut costs 50%
READ MORE

Six steps to make Australia a world leader in bike-friendly cities
Government News
READ MORE

Canada

Cars in Ontario stand unused for 95 percent of the time
'more car owners, especially in major cities, need to rethink their attachment to the idea of having a vehicle that they apparently don't need as much as they think they do.'
READ MORE

China

Shanghai Exhibition Centre with New Public Space
READ MORE

England

Growing controversy over greenfield development
READ MORE

And even Twiggy has not escaped attention
READ MORE
 
Skills
Further coverage the House of Lords Report on Housing Need
READ MORE

France

Manifesto for beauty
Paris unveils Manifesto for Beauty after social media #saccageparis campaign calls out the trashiness of the 'City of Lights'                                                       
READ MORE                                                  

India

Street design needs an inter-disciplinary approach
READ MORE

Ireland

Thoughtful design of public spaces can make a difference to women's safety
READ MORE

US

The secret to creating new public parks out of thin air: foam
READ MORE

 

Opportunities: UDG Careers Board

Project Director
The Cyfarthfa Foundation | Merthyr Tydfil

Design Advisor
Design South East | London (Deadline Monday)

Design Champion and Specialist Services Manager
East Suffolk Council | Lowestoft or Melton

Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment (TVIA) | Consultant/Senior Consultant
Lichfields | London

Urban Designer
The Paul Hogarth Company | Belfast or Dublin

Urban Designers / Masterplanners
Planned Resources | Melbourne

Associate Director / Director
Savills Urban Design Studio | London

Senior / Associate Urban Designer
Savills Urban Design Studio | Oxford

Associate Director
Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design | London

Consultant / Senior Consultant - Townscape, Landscape and VIA
Turley | London

Urban Designer
Urban Green | Manchester

For more details visit the UDG jobs board