Woodberry Down Regeneration

Within a generation, the singly largest use of 'new information technology' in planning will no longer be in an exclusively professional context such as in preparing development plans or in development control. It will be in educating the wider community in planning matters and in engaging the community through planning information and participation in the design process.

In 1999, researchers at CASA began disseminating their work on multimedia, geographic information systems, and virtual reality in urban design to the local community in one of the most deprived areas in the UK. The Hackney Building Exploratory Interactive was the first application and this led to the current project in Woodberry Down where we are building a multimedia resource for public participation. Woodberry Down is one of the most deprived public housing estates in the UK and participation is central to the process of community regeneration.

This, we believe, is a wonderful example of how digital technologies can enable a disenfranchised community to realise its own future. Design ideas will emanate from this participation but the process is one that will be well under way. At different points over the next 10 years, the experience will be evaluated and the quality of the environment that results from this process will be monitored. 

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Andrew Hudson-Smith
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Steve Evans
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