DPU summerLab

DPU summerLab 2025 series

Jump to:

• Belfast - Young People and Mental Wellbeing in a Contested City (8 to 13 June 2025) 
• London - NightLab (30 June to 4 July 2025)
• Qujing, Yunnan, China - Multigenerational entrepreneurialism, living heritage and participatory urban regeneration (14 to 23 July 2025) 
• Bogotá, Colombia - Urban Innovations in Transport and Development: Bogotá as a Living Laboratory (3 to 7 November 2025)

About the DPU summerLab

Born out of the Building and Urban Design in Development MSc (BUDD MSc) course in 2009, and expanded in 2010 into a wider initiative of The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, the DPU summerLab provokes, stimulates and reconsiders the role of research (and design research) in promoting social, spatial and environmental justice.

Focusing on cities’ contested spaces, their mutable landscapes and visible/invisible thresholds, the DPU summerLab asserts that – to appropriately engage in this arena – a critical recalibration of research and practice is required. Contributing to such paradigmatic shift, the programme hosts a series of initiatives including design and research workshops, research fellowships, and seminar series.

Who is the DPU summerLab for?

The DPU summerLab is open to applicants from any background and institution. The programme is geared toward professionals, young graduates and current students willing to question their role, positionality and methodologies in engaging with cities’ contested spaces. For each workshop, we indicate a specific audience group. However, we welcome any expressions of interest. Please get in touch by completing the expression of interest form below and we will be able to advise.

Apply to the DPU summerLab 2025 or Register your interest

Belfast - Young People and Mental Wellbeing in a Contested City 

Dates:  Sunday 8 June to Friday 13 June 2025 

Applications for the summerLab in Belfast are now open. Please find the application form here. Fees for Early Bird applicants are 650 GBP (deadline Friday 2 May at 11.59pm). Fees for DPU current students and alumni are 650 GBP (deadline Friday 16 May at 11.59pm). Standard fees are 790 GBP (deadline Friday 16 May at 11.59pm). Fees do not include travel costs, accommodation costs, and (if applicable) visa costs, which applicants are responsible to cover and arrange.  Discounted rates may be available for: Belfast residents; organisations enrolling two or more participants; participants from local authorities, NGOs, community organisations, and nonprofit in general. Please write to Dr Giorgio Talocci for enquiries in such regard.

Academic coordination: Professor Haim Yacobi (The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL) 

In collaboration with: Belfast Healthy Cities network and Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School 

Photo by Giorgio Talocci, 2024.

We associate health with the use of urban space and highlight a growing body of knowledge discussing the links between health and planning, by posing crucial questions such as how planning, urban design and public health policy – which emerged with the objective of improving the health of urban dwellers – can be reversed to its health and social justice origins. Focusing on addressing the social determinants of health, we ask also: what political, social and spatial processes reconnect planning and public health?

The summerLab in Belfast will focus on the mental wellbeing of young people in contexts of conflict and division. Urban conflict and spatial division have indeed driven significant changes in the production and use of urban spaces. In cities where (often violent) conflict occurs, one can identify health disparities and challenges linked to spatio-political conditions. These conditions are often accompanied by under-developed public goods and services such as transportation, sanitation and other infrastructural elements – which, in turn, affect the health of communities. The spatial stigmatisation of several conflict zones in cities affect patterns of urban mobility, too.

The main purpose of this summerLab is to better understand the effect of conflict and violence on urban health in general and, in particular, mental health among young people in Belfast. In partnership with the Belfast Healthy Cities network and other experts, we will explore the city and its current health and planning challenges, while also conducting fieldwork data collection, and brainstorm around developing an intervention strategy. The workshop will focus on one of the most deprived districts in Belfast – the working-class neighbourhood of Ardoyne, which still bears signs of its violent past. In Ardoyne, we will work in partnership with the Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School. Drawing on and expanding from such interaction, and using participatory methodologies, we aim to contribute to the development of an alternative plan and policy for the future Ardoyne, centred around the community needs and aspirations, and connecting to the wider socio-spatial context of Belfast in a cross-scalar and cross-dimensional fashion – at both policy and spatial strategy level. 

Tentative Schedule: Sunday 8, evening. Opening lecture: Belfast, History and Politics. Monday 9, morning. Belfast Urban Tour. Monday 9, afternoon. Roundtable with academics and local stakeholders: Belfast Urban Health Challenges. Tuesday 10, morning. Belfast Public Health Tour. Tuesday 10, afternoon. Knowledge sharing and workshop: children, health and the built environment. Tuesday 10, evening. Screening of the movie: Young Plato (discussant: Kevin McArevey). Wednesday 11, morning. Walking tour in Ardoyne neighbourhood. Wednesday 11, afternoon. Visit to East Side partnership and group tutorials. Wednesday 11, evening. Group tutorials. Thursday 12, all day. Field- and group-work at Holy Cross Boys Primary School and Ardoyne neighbourhood. Friday 13, morning. Presentation of students’ works and feedback from local stakeholders. Friday 13, afternoon. Collective reflection and (tbc) group meal.

Apply here or express your interest 

London - NightLab

Dates: Monday 30 June to Friday 4 July 2025  

Applications for the summerLab in London are now open. Please find the application form here. Fees for Early Bird applicants are 790 GBP (deadline Friday 2 May at 11.59pm). Fees for DPU current students and alumni are 790 GBP (deadline Friday 27 May at 11.59pm). Standard fees are 990 GBP (deadline Friday 27 May at 11.59pm). Fees do not include travel costs, accommodation costs, and (if applicable) visa costs, which applicants are responsible to cover and arrange.  Discounted rates may be available for: organisations enrolling two or more participants; participants from local authorities, NGOs, community organisations, and nonprofit in general. Please write to Dr Giorgio Talocci for enquiries in such regard.

Academic coordination: Dr Alessio Koliulis  

In partnership with: Dr Andreina Seijas (Night Tank)

Photo by Alex Macfarlane, 2024.

As cities continue to evolve, the night-time economy has become a vital focus for urban policy, planning, and governance. This practice-oriented workshop explores contemporary approaches to night-time governance, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of managing cities after dark. It breaks down the complexities of night-time urbanism and how cities can foster inclusive, sustainable, and economically dynamic night spaces. The workshop covers key themes, such as an introduction to night-time urbanism and governance, the intersection of night studies and climate science, and initiatives that advance spatial justice after dark. 

Through a blend of lectures, site visits, and a hands-on workshop, participants will engage with local experts and practitioners to critically assess the opportunities and challenges of the urban night. By linking theory with practice and through critical examination of selected case studies, this workshop enables students to also develop skills towards the management of cities at night.  

A highlight of the course is the Night-Time Strategy Design Workshop, where participants will conduct exploratory research on a public space in London, using methodological tools to evaluate its social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts. Working in teams, participants will develop strategic proposals and present their findings to peers and local stakeholders, gaining hands-on experience in shaping vibrant and resilient urban nightscapes. 

The NightLab is designed for individuals working in urban policy, planning, and governance. It is particularly relevant for those involved in policymaking, local authorities, and private sector stakeholders shaping night-time strategies. Participants will: gain practical tools to assess and shape night-time policies; connect with global leaders in urban innovation; learn how to develop and implement strategies that integrate safety, sustainability, and culture after dark; expand their professional network across public, private, and civic sectors 

Tentative schedule. On Monday 30 June, students will be exposed to an introduction to night-time governance through inputs by guest speakers and workshop coordinators. On Tuesday 1 July, participants will delve into Night Strategies, covering amongst other topics “Lighting and Night-Time Design” and “Night Culture and the Right to the City”. On Wednesday 2 July, the workshop will addressaddresses what Inclusivity means in Night-Time Planning with an input on “Servicing the 24-hour city: Transport, Caregiving, Night Worker Services”, a focus on safety, and a methodological session on stakeholder engagement. On Thursday 3 July, we will discuss around tackle Sustainability, with a lecture on Night and Climate Science. All days, students will work on developing their night-time strategies, which will be presented on Friday 4 July. Please notice that, given the workshop focus, a series of two to three site visits will happen in evening/night slots (6 to 9pm). The rest of the activities will happen in four morning slots (10-1pm) and four afternoon slots (2-5pm).

Apply here or express your interest 

Qujing, Yunnan, China - Multigenerational entrepreneurialism, living heritage and participatory urban regeneration 

Dates: Monday 14 to Wednesday 23 July 2025  

Applications for the summerLab in Qujing are now open. Please find the application form here. Fees for Early Bird applicants are 990 GBP (deadline Friday 23 May at 11.59pm). Fees for DPU current students and alumni are 990 GBP (deadline Friday 6 June at 11.59pm). Standard fees are 1190 GBP (deadline Friday 6 June at 11.59pm). Fees do not include travel costs, accommodation costs, and (if applicable) visa costs, which applicants are responsible to cover and arrange. Advice on travel and accommodation will be provided if needed (please write to Dr Giorgio Talocci). Discounted rates may be available for: organisations enrolling two or more participants; participants from local authorities, NGOs, community organisations, and nonprofit in general. Please write to Dr Giorgio Talocci for enquiries in such regard.

Academic coordination: Dr Giorgio Talocci (The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL)  

In partnership with: Urban Synthesis China Ltd. and SFK International Art Education 

Photo by Andy Hilton, 2024.
 

After two successful experiences in Chengdu, Sichuan, we are happy to delve further into the complexity of Chinese urbanisms along with our local partners. The workshop will examine roles, opportunities and forms of engagement within historical urban cores. We will explore both spatial and economic models for participatory regeneration, looking into a range of urban conditions at the threshold between public and private. We will also explore the importance of multigenerational entrepreneurialism in addressing rural to urban migration.

The workshop is geared toward undergraduate and graduate students, young graduates and professionals. It is open to all academic and professional backgrounds though with a specific focus on urban and spatial planning, urban design and architecture. A full programme will be released in May 2025 (please reach out through an expression of interest, below, for more details).

Apply here or Express your interest

Bogotá, Colombia - Urban Innovations in Transport and Development: the City as a Living Laboratory 

Dates: Monday 3 to Friday 7 November 2025 

Academic coordination: Dr Maria Alejandra Wilches Mogollón and Dr Daniel Oviedo Hernández (The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL)  

In partnership with: Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad, Bogotá 

Photo by Maria Alejandra Wilches Mogollon 

In Bogotá, one of Latin America’s most dynamic cities, we will run an immersive one-week workshop blending theory and hands-on experience. Through field visits, we will explore Bogotá’s transport innovations, including TransMilenio and its cycling infrastructure. We will engage in current tactical and temporary urbanism projects, shaping public spaces through collaborative urban interventions. With exclusive insights from the Mobility Secretariat, we will learn about urban and infrastructural transformation from leading experts and policy makers.

The workshop will be a unique opportunity for individuals passionate about sustainable transport and urban development. It is geared toward professionals, researchers and graduate students eager to understand and apply cutting-edge urban solutions at the intersection between urban mobility and everyday public space. A full programme will be released in May 2025.

Express your interest in the Bogotá summerLab

Previous DPU summerLab programmes

Staff

The DPU summerLab is led by Dr Giorgio Talocci, and supported by a multitude of academic staff from The Bartlett Development Planning Unit on a workshop-to-workshop basis.

More information

If you have any questions, please contact the DPU summerLab Programme Coordinator via email at giorgio.talocci.11@ucl.ac.uk.

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