From April 2013 to March 2014, we are running more than 70 events designed for both those new to urban design and for experienced practitioners who want to explore topics in depth. A full list of events can be viewed in our brochure.
People from organisations who subscribe to UDL can book and attend events for free, subject to availability. A limited number of free tickets may be available for students, those out of work and community group members upon request. Places cost £175 plus VAT for others.
Please email info@urbandesignlondon.com if you have any questions.
Next events
- Development Economics Mini-Series – Workshop 3: Housing and Financial Aspects of S106 Negotiations Wednesday 5th June 2013: 9.45am – 4.30pm Blackfriars & Euston, Palestra, SE1 8NJ Trainer: Andrew Drury, HATC This full-day workshop will focus on the housing and financial aspects of S106 negotiations. Training will focus on three key are...
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| Date | Event Title | Book Now | Event Description | Kindly sponsored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24/05/2013 | Site Visit 2 | Book now | ||
| 05/06/2013 | Development Economics 3: Funding Models and Market and Developer Contributions: | Book now | This full-day workshop will focus on the housing and financial aspects of S106 negotiations. Training will focus on three key areas: • how affordable housing is dealt with in development and in particular S106 negotiations (including understanding what types of deals developers and housing associations come to between themselves) and how this is changing in the context of changes in Government funding for affordable housing • how to carry out viability assessments of open book appraisals submitted by developers to inform S106 negotiations (including an interactive session running through an example viability assessment) • policy and guidance around viability and S106 and how this is evolving and any differences in the London context | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 06/06/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 18/06/2013 | Street Essentials 1 - Cycling: The Design Principles | Book now | This popular event looks at how we design the spaces people cycle through. After an introduction on design principles, we will discuss options for links, routes, lanes and conflict areas such as junctions, looking at crossing designs and practical options for safe cycling. | |
| 19/06/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 20/06/2013 | Development Economics 4: Economic Assessment of Planning Policies | Book now | The event will take us through the steps to consider on the impact of our planning policies; we will discuss the expectations from central government on assessing the cost of new planning policies and how to manage and present them. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 25/06/2013 | Historic Conservation 3 | Book now | Historic Conservation in London Discussed: A session to help you understand current key heritage issues, such as significance, setting and how impact is assessed; we will also take a look at how the new guidance regime works. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 26/06/2013 | Network Meeting | Book now | This is one of our regular network meetings where we discuss topical issues of the day, publications, research and case studies. Agendas are set nearer the event. | Kindly sponsored by  |
| 26/06/2013 | Tricky Issue Session | Book now | This session will look at a particular and topical tricky issue in depth and look at addressing the conundrums of our housing, planning and streetscape issues. Agendas are set nearer the event. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 27/06/2013 | Street Essentials 2 - Cycling: Managing Streets for Cyclists | Book now | Following on from the introductory design principles, this session considers the use of signals, signs and markings, as well as construction and surface issues and their maintenance. This practical session will look at the provision of cycle parking, hire stations and wayfinding models, considering design options for different areas. | |
| 02/07/2013 | Hard Working Streets 5: Designing Interchanges | Book now | Busy interchanges need careful planning; this session looks at important issues to consider around station and bus interchanges. We will investigate examples from the UK and abroad and dicuss lessons learned and if these could be suitable for application in a London context. | |
| 03/07/2013 | Development Economics 5: Estate Renewal | Book now | This event looks at how to approach Estate renewal: the good, and the not so good, practice and impact of the masterplan. Focussing on partnership working, funding and rent models the session will look at best practice examples, covering public space and land uses, as well as transport and tenure design and management. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 04/07/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 16/07/2013 | Hard Working Streets 3: Designing for all modes | Book now | This session will discuss different types of traffic and journeys and the importance of local and distant accessibility. We will cover specifics such as freight, taxis, buses, signalling, speed management, parking and traffic modelling and predictions, considering the physical requirements of different modes and how they overlap. | |
| 18/07/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 19/07/2013 | Site Visit 3 | Book now | ||
| 18/04/2013 | Hard Working Streets 1+ 2: Understanding role of the street + Considering Design Options | Book now | This session will help us understand the link/place theories and typologies as well as look at the data and evidence needed to assess existing performance and potential optimal functions of a street. We will discuss how to consider both community and commuter requirements, how to agree priorities and steer projects to successful completion. We will have a practical look at recently delivered schemes to highlight common problems and best practice design solutions. We will consider widely used design features such as pavement build outs, pavement pad parking, central margins, raised tables, diagonal crossings, shared spaces and relaxed junctions and the types of places to use them. | |
| 05/09/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 11/09/2013 | Street Essentials 3: Traffic Modelling | Book now | This technical session will help us to understand commonly used traffic modelling types, and discuss their pros & cons, data requirements and how best to use the results. It will also explain how to model the impact of signal designs and phasing. | |
| 12/09/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 1: What makes for a good home and neighbourhood | Book now | This event will explain the principles behind good housing design and we will consider how design impacts on residents and the neighbourhood. We will have a site visit to a local scheme and discuss its merits and assess what does make a good place to live. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 17/09/2013 | Urban Design in London 1: The Principles of Good Urban Design | Book now | This event will cover the basic principles of good urban design and the structure of places; introducing density, movement networks, land uses, appearance, public realm and the relationship between design, viability and delivery. We will look at how parallel design processes work. As well as the interplay between investment and the big beasts of planning and transport planning and architecture and design. | |
| 18/09/2013 | Leader's Briefing | Book now | A session developed specifically for councillors and chief officers offering an overvew of strategic planning, housing and street hot topics and tricky issues. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 19/09/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 26/09/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 2: London's Housing Design Standards | Book now | We will be introduced to the GLA requirements on housing standards and look at examples that show what schemes meet or don't meet the Mayor's SPG look like; we will hear from architects on their experiences designing with the new standards and work together to assess compliance of a London scheme. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 03/10/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design be it a housing scheme, planning policies or streetscape proposals. | |
| 04/10/2013 | Site Visit 4 | Book now | ||
| 10/10/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 3: Typologies and Trends and the London Vernacular | Book now | This event will look at emerging housing typologies and trends and their success; with information on key materials and how they can be best used including brick, render and wood cladding, we will discuss the importance of detailing and what to look for in terms of drainage, lighting, edges and landscaping. This will include a quick overview of the design and planning processes and why many details and material decisions happen after planning permission is granted. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 16/10/2013 | Network Meeting | Book now | This is one of our regular network meetings where we discuss topical issues of the day, publications, research and case studies. Agendas are set nearer the event. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 16/10/2013 | Tricky Issue Session | Book now | This session will look at a particular and topical tricky issue in depth and look at addressing the conundrums of our housing, planning and streetscape issues. Agendas are set nearer the event. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 17/10/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 23/10/2013 | Street Essentials 4: Regulations, Guidance and Legislation | Book now | This session will take us through the different regulations, guidance and legislation, discussing where there is overlap and what is actually said about the most common street signs and bits of kit we have on our roads. | |
| 24/10/2013 | Urban Design in London 2: Making the most of 'big change' places | Book now | The session will introduce masterplanning, its pros and cons and its relationship to development and public realm issues; considering design developments of interchanges, ring roads and junction treatments. We will investigate Town Centres, looking at size and structure, connections and mix of uses as well as managing for growth, stability or consolidation. Finally, this big change session will look at London Plan growth and opportunity areas and how design issues and major changes are being addressed. | |
| 06/11/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 4 / Site Visit | Book now | Visiting the Best: Tour of 2012 and 2013 award winning schemes | Kindly sponsored by |
| 07/11/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 12/11/2013 | Street Essentials 5: Street materials and details | Book now | This workshop will focus in depth on street material types and details. Materials specialists from CED Stone, Marshalls and others, will be on hand to discuss the range of materials that can be used, their pros & cons, performance, maintenance requirements and approximate costs. | |
| 14/11/2013 | Urban Design in London 3: Design Options for Common Issues | Book now | We will consider the latest thinking on car parking demand and management, along with the principles of good car parking design and on, off and in-building solutions for both residential and commercial demands. We will look at best practice waste collection and storage options, alongside tree planting and landscaping and making the most of public space for play areas and incorporating play strategies. | |
| 20/11/2013 | Network Meeting | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 20/11/2013 | Tricky Issue Session | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 21/11/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 5:Design for Maintenance, Management and Energy Efficiency | Book now | This event will look at the detail of how design influences management of servicing, can reduce communal circulation space and impact on noise, thermal and heating ratings. We will investigate up-to-date energy issues such as local and shared options and their pros and cons. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 26/11/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 05/12/2013 | Delivering Good Housing 6: Evaluating Schemes | Book now | In this session we will discuss what to look out for in any scheme and why, and introduce the Building for Life 12 tool and its use in evaluating a range of housing developments. We will watch a specimen scheme review taking place and hold group surgerys with help and discussion from experts in the field. A full hands-on day. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 05/12/2013 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 12/12/2013 | Urban Design in London 4: Learning to be a design critic | Book now | This event will introduce us to 'architectural jargon' and discuss the creative process and how it's best described and understood; this full day event will incorporate function versus aesthetics and the role and limitations of standards and guidance, we will look at a range of recent case studies and scenarios and probe responses as design critics. | |
| 13/12/2013 | Site Visit 5 | Book now | ||
| 14/01/2014 | Street Essentials 6: Street Design conundrums | Book now | We will take a practical look at common design questions and choices such as the use of level surfaces, raised tables, mini roundabouts, median strips, tactile paving, and various types of controlled and uncontrolled crossings. This session details how and where to effectvely incorporate these tricky streetscape features. | |
| 15/01/2014 | Planning Essentials 1: London's Planning Policies | Book now | A must for London's planners, this event will give an understanding of current policies from the NPPF and the London Plan; we will also look at example borough and neighbourhood plans which have an influence on the design and quality of the built environment, including historic conservation policies. We will discuss and consider the importance of planning policies, what they mean in practice, and what makes for good, or bad, policies and their relationship to negotiations and planning decisions. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 16/01/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 22/01/2014 | Network Meeting | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 22/01/2014 | Tricky Issue Session | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 28/01/2014 | Street Essentials 7: Environmental Challenges in Street Design | Book now | This half day event will look at recent policy and best practice to investigate how to implement climate change adaptation interventions in our streets. | |
| 29/01/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 30/01/2014 | Planning Essentials 2: Regulations and Processes | Book now | In this session we will gain an understanding of permitted development, Article 4 notices, prior notifications and the regulations around information to be supplied with planning applications. It will explain the historic conservation consents regime, covering the legal and legislative side of things, recent changes and what these mean in practice. We will have a discussion of the design and development processes, masterplanning and brief preparation. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 06/02/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 11/02/2014 | Street Essentials 8: Technical Considerations for the Street Environment | Book now | We will investigate up-to-date environmental specifications used in street design to regulate the urban microclimate, manage rainwater and combat air and noise pollution. This will include looking at how to best design green infrastructure: green walls, SUDs and tree planting. | |
| 12/02/2014 | Leader's Briefing | Book now | A session developed specifically for councillors and chief officers offering an overvew of strategic planning, housing and street hot topics and tricky issues. | Kindly sponsored by |
| 13/02/2014 | Planning Essentials 3 Planning calculations | Book now | This practical session will give advice and look at worked examples on how to calculate key scheme data and scrutinise technical information provided with an example application such as: daylight and sunlight requirements, noise pollution, parking requirements, scheme density, BREEM and/or environmental performance figures. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 20/02/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 27/02/2014 | Planning Essentials 4: Evaluating Planning Proposals | Book now | In this practical session we will learn what to look for in a scheme and why, we will observe specimen desig reviews and undertake group designsurgeries with help and discussion from experts. We will gain an understanding of key graphical information and detailing. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 06/03/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 13/03/2014 | Planning Essentials 5: Site Visit | Book now | A guided visit to see London planning awards shortlisted and/or winning schemes. | Kindly sponsored by: |
| 19/03/2014 | Network Meeting | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 19/03/2014 | Tricky Issue Session | Book now | Kindly sponsored by |
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| 20/03/2014 | Design Surgery | Book now | One to two hour slots available throughout the day for those who would like some advice on design, be it a housing scheme, streetscape proposal or planning issue. | |
| 28/03/2014 | Site Visit 6 | Book now | A guided visit to see an exemplar London scheme. |
Four types of courses are on offer:
Mini Series - workshops and seminars on Historic Conservation, Development Economics, Delivering Good Housing, Urban Design in London, Hard Working Streets, Street Essentials and Planning Essentials
Network Meetings – best for meeting peers and hearing about new ideas, research, policies and case studies (type network in search box above)
Site Visits – guided tours of exemplar projects (type site visit in search box above)
Leaders Briefings - focused and succinct sessions for councillors and other built environment ‘leaders’. We run separate briefings on planning, housing design and street design issues (type leaders in search box above)