Bartlett Research Conversations: Guy Mannes-Abbott

London Urban Forest; reconceptualising the built environment through the case of the Heygate Legacy Forest

Speaker: Guy Mannes-Abbott
Supervisors: Dr Clare Melhuish and Dean Sully
Guest panellist: Professor Tim Waterman, The Bartlett School of Architecture 

Abstract

London is classified as an urban forest. Guy’s research seeks to establish what that means given a fast emerging understanding of the complexity of natural growth forests and the lack of research on urban forests - where the majority of a significantly urbanised world now lives. The project aims to develop a tangible and robust measure of London Urban Forest in architectural, urban, socio-political, philosophical and ecological terms in this stark gap.

The IPCC considers afforestation to be a key tool in maintaining a habitable planet. This research pursues how and where a fully articulated conceptualisation of London Urban Forest can be realised if sufficient priority for its transformative impacts is established. It also examines what an activated, expanded and relational London Urban Forest might be like as a place to dwell as a conscious part of the assemblage of ecospheres that enable it and perhaps a common world for all.

About The Bartlett Research Conversations

The Bartlett School of Architecture’s Research Conversations seminars comprise work-in-progress and upgrade presentations by students undertaking the Architectural Design MPhil/PhD and Architectural and Urban History and Theory MPhil/PhD. All current UCL staff and students are welcome to attend.

Held regularly throughout the academic year, the seminars are attended by the Programme Directors, Professor Sophia Psarra and Dr Nina Vollenbröker; PhD Coordinators, Dr Stamatis Zografos and Dr Stelios Giamarelos; and other PhD supervisors.

Image: The Context is the Content, Guy Mannes-Abbott