Urban designers a decade later: are we building the cities we imagined?

Join us to discover the how UCL urban design graduates have contributed to shaping cities over the last decade.

This event is open to all, and especially relevant to Urban Design and City Planning MSc alumni, current students and members of the public who are interested in the evolving landscape of cities and urban practice.

Through a series of engaging presentations, speakers will share insights from their work across the urban design and planning field and reflect on the past decade of their career.

Speakers:

• Pablo Sendra – Professor of Urban Design and Public Participation, UCL
• Leticia Sabino – Director and project coordinator at Instituto Caminhabilidade / Brazil (Walkability Institute)
• Shalini Lisjohn – Senior Urban Designer at Scene Group
• Julie Plichon – Head of Transport Strategy and Programmes - Lambeth Council
• Shravan Kamath - Associate at Boyer

Event format overview:

Opening remarks:

Prof Pablo Sendra will open the event with reflections on how the MSc cohorts, urban challenges and urban design practice have evolved over the last decade. He will also introduce current London urban challenges through the example of Barking Riverside and this year’s Sustainable Future by Design module.

Part 1: Profile & Reflection

Leticia Sabino will introduce this session.

We will begin with a short overview of insights gathered through alumni forms, followed by short presentations from participants. Each speaker will present up to 3 slides including:

• Name, country and current location
• Current work and area of practice
• Three important projects they have been involved in over the last 10 years

Part 2: Workshop

Julie Plichon and Shalini Lisjohn will facilitate this session.

Participants will split into groups to reflect on two urban case studies:

• Oxford Street, London
• Barking Riverside

Each group will discuss:

• Which stakeholders should be involved in co-creating solutions
• How to make these areas more accessible and welcoming for children and women
• Which methodologies and participation tools could be used
• Which essential elements should not be missing from these spaces

The workshop will include a quick visual collage/reflection exercise.

Closing:

Each group will briefly present their reflections and proposals, followed by final remarks and discussion.