Quality of Life: Remaking the post-industrial city
A perspective from Chair Andreas Markides
Looking back at our Quality of Life Conference in Manchester two weeks ago, I am both proud and inspired by the talent and passion of the urbanists who joined us. It is hard to believe that when I set out to organise this day, I had the sole ambition for the Academy to spread its wings, but was worried whether people would be as keen to attend. Looking back now I am humbled by the level of talent and creativity that was offered to us.
This success relied entirely on the open arms of Manchester and its communities. Welcoming the Academy like you did allowed us to explore, discover and engage with everything that the city has to offer. My experience on the NOMA tour for instance highlighted this exactly. It was a joy to see how our diverse perspectives of places and their purpose inform our attitude to planning and design.
This brings me to draw on my main takeaway from our day in Manchester: diversity in the Academy is our greatest strength. This was not only present from the presentations but from the people who were there. Bringing youth into the discussion was a key objective of the day, and we had the honour of speakers such as Chloe Roberts, who gave a phenomenal perspective of trauma informed design. This was both an insightful and necessary perspective in the context of our changing attitude to place making.
Understanding the role of young voices in more creative forms was also an excellent addition, including words from the poet Esther Koch, who used the richness of her words to share Manchester’s spirit. We also had the pleasure of the This Manchester Identity youth film project from Samosa Media, which achieved a taste of young experiences across the city.
The diversity present in our panels too - expertly chaired by the City Council's Shelagh McNerney and Becca Heron - was fantastic. Exploring Where Will The City Edges Be? and Development: Looking to the Future relied on the varied experiences and histories from all professional spaces, from Historic England to Urban Splash and Deloitte. Finishing the day with the International Keynote: Barcelona in conversation from Xavier Matilla and Lee Wratten explained the boundary pushing nature of urban design and strategic planning, centred on the human experience and sustainability.
I am confident that this event set the tone for the future of the Academy. We will continue to push our boundaries, both geographically and artistically, to further engage with the key voices behind our future places. I want to thank everyone again for their attendance and look forward to our next meet!
Quality of Life: Remaking the post-industrial city was sponsored by:
