Feminist Cities: A national network for action on gender inclusion in public space design

Over the past five years there has been concerted national action across the UK to increase awareness of the role of urban design, planning and the broader built environment sector on women, girls and non-binary people’s sense of safety and belonging in public space. This work has largely been led by passionate individuals and community groups who have been able to leverage small pots of funding and/or volunteer time to build awareness and implement practical changes at a local level.

We are now interested in how we can up-scale the impact of this work nationally by working together across the UK to:

• Learn from the policy, advocacy and practical project approaches adopted across the UK to include women’s safety concerns in urban development projects,
• Identify common challenges and needs that might be addressed at a national level, and identify routes to more national investment,
• Build a community of people across the UK who are committed to advancing this work – so that we feel supported in this work together.

This event will be an opportunity to have a collective conversation about the possibilities for a national network on this topic. We will explore the existing work and actions that have been taken, identify key areas of focus, opportunities to work together and discuss possible funding routes. We also invite participants to bring their own questions and items for discussion.

This event is part of a series to celebrate 20 years of UCL Urban Lab and will be held online. Please register on Zoom in advance. 

Chair

Dr Ellie Cosgrave is Director of Publica’s Campaign for Inclusive Cities and Research. She has over 15 years of experience in leadership and strategic management and is an expert on issues surrounding inclusive urbanisation. Ellie has conducted research internationally with organisations such as C40 Cities, Plan International, the Decolab, and the Change Cities network to explore strategic approaches to gender inclusion and women’s safety in cities globally. She has also worked closely with statutory authorities at a local level, such as the Greater London Authority, LLDC, Transport for London and Trafford council as well as developers.

Ellie is also Associate Professor of Urban Innovation and Policy at UCL’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy and is Co-Director of UCL’s Urban Lab. In addition, she is a BBC broadcaster, presenting the BBC World Service’s ‘My Perfect City’ and ‘Tomorrow’s World’ podcast.

Speakers

Jude Barber is an architect and director at Collective Architecture. The 100% employee-owned studio is founded on principles of creative freedom, equity and sustainability. Together, the team has delivered key projects around the UK that include Glasgow Women’s Library, the City Observatory Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Paisley Library and Civic House Glasgow. Jude also has specific expertise in strategic planning having co-developed Water Row in Govan and Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh.

In parallel with her studio practice, Jude has undertaken several close creative collaborations which include the award-winning Empire Café with writer Louise Welsh during the 2014 Commonwealth Games and their recent podcast ‘Who owns the Clyde?’. She also co-leads Voices of Experience project with Suzanne Ewing and Nicola McLachlan, which investigates women who have made important contributions to architecture and the built environment. Jude is Chair of the Glasgow Women’s Library, a visiting tutor at the University of Sheffield and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

Daisy Narayanan is Director of Public Realm at The Crown Estate. She was formerly Head of Placemaking and Mobility at the City of Edinburgh Council where she led on delivering a city-wide, integrated approach to transport and placemaking. She trained as an architect and urban designer, before focusing on sustainable transport and climate action over the last decade.

Daisy sits on the Board of Architecture and Design Scotland and is on the judging panel for the National Transport Awards. She was on the Board of the Transport Planning Society and a member of the Evidence Group of Scotland’s Climate Assembly. She was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and is an honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. She has recently been awarded with an MBE for services to Inclusive Urban Planning.

More Information 

• Urban Lab 20

Image: Stretford Stride Workshop, Trafford, 2023 – Right to the Streets, Greater Manchester Moving