Omega Series 2024/25 Session 5

Legacy has a critical role to play in city and large-scale masterplans and megaprojects. It can strengthen bids and visions; build confidence with investors, stakeholders and communities; and shape unique, future aspirations for people and places. Legacy can help to sustain a project, particularly those being delivered over large geographical areas and longer periods of time. Yet, the definition and tangibility of legacy can be questioned, alongside its measurability. These are known obstacles through academic research and professional practice. 

Megaprojects such as the Olympic Games have notably relied on, yet sometimes struggled with, the delivery of long term legacies. Political and societal change, and programme, governance and delivery challenges add further complexity to their implementation. 

Victoria here explores the “Role of Legacy in Megaprojects” through both academic research and professional work across large-scale masterplans and megaprojects, highlighting both the urban design and governance challenges and the interrelationships and interdependence of these two aspects. Her research in these fields has drawn on two Master Degree dissertations, an MSc in Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Oxford and an MA in Narrative Environments (City Placemaking) from the University of Arts London.

She explains how notions of legacy shape places, people and policy, and impacts governance and offers insights on delivering more robust legacies and supporting governance in complex physical, social, political and economic urban contexts. All views expressed are hers alone and do not reflect the views of her employer.