

Digitising museum collection could contribute over £2 million to the economy
Digitising the Natural History Musem's collection could lead to new drug discoveries Future Cities Forum is beginning a new series looking at 'The Digital City' - the contribution of digital for economic benefit and in tackling the climate crisis. From innovation in building materials and digitising museum collections to implementing new software into the planning process, we are embarking on a series of reports and events to enquire into the ongoing benefits of digitisation.


New models for R&D real estate and communities
Panel at Newnham Cambridge discussing measures to create new housing to support Oxford and Cambridge's world leading life sciences clusters (L to R: CBRE's Chris Williams, Jo Cowen of Jo Cowen Architects, Cllr Bridget Smith - Leader of South Cambridgeshire Council - and Dr Jason Matthews, Matthews & Sadler Estates for Oxford North) As the Chancellor announces a firm road map for government funding of science R&D for the UK (increasing to £22 billion by 2026 / 7), Future Citie


Innovation in building materials is a must for sustainability
Berkeley St James development at Wood Lane, West London under construction At Future Cities Forum's 'Net Zero Cities' debate this October, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, architects Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners and Bath University, tackled the importance of investment into the research and design of innovative materials in order to address the problem of carbon emissions. The IPA's Head of Commercial Projects Advisory, Stephen Dance, spoke of the importance of us


Autumn Budget 2021 - enough to tackle climate change?
The 'Sinking House' by Pulteney Bridge, Bath on the River Avon (created by Stride Treglown with Format Engineers, and artist Anna Gillespie and Fifield Moss Carpentry) Future Cities Forum has been taking a look at the Autumn Budget 2021, with reference to our contributors' views on tackling climate change while creating sustainable development and greener infrastructure. The IPA who led our 'Net Zero Cities' forum last week, talked of the need for a greener, place-based appro


Infrastructure & Projects Authority leads Net Zero Cities forum
'Transforming Infrastructure Performance: the Road Map to 2030' (Infrastructure & Projects Authority / HM Treasury) We were delighted that the Head of the Commercial Adviser Team at the IPA, Stephen Dance opened our Net Zero Cities discussion this week. Joining Stephen Dance were contributors from Newcastle City Council, Grimshaw, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Stride Treglown, Cross River Partnership, Lambsquay Consulting of Cambridge and Bath University's School of Archi


Creating sustainable new settlements around science cities
(Pictured above at Newnham College Cambridge - from left: Julia Foster of David Lock Associates, Anna Strongman of Oxford University Development, Heather Fearfield of Future Cities Forum, Fred Pilbrow of Pilbrow & Partners, and Emma Cariaga of British Land with Martin Dougherty, COO of Wellcome Genome Campus in foreground) We were very pleased that Julia Foster, Managing Partner at planning firm David Lock Associates was able to join our 'Science Cities and the Arc' forum at


Oslo's new museum design is driven by climate concerns
Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway (Photo credit: Einar Aslaksen) It has been an important weekend for Spanish architecture practice Estudio Herreros with the opening of their new museum building, the Munch museum in Oslo, Norway. An impressive set of exhibitions and events are due to entice the public into exploring the unique setting for artworks by the country's most celebrated artist, Edvard Munch. The foundations for the new museum building were laid in 2016, the museum leaders


Challenges for the Arc and the UK's top science cities
Emma Cariaga, Chair of the OxCam Arc Expert Advisory Panel, making the introductory address at Future Cities Forum in Cambridge At our 'Science Cities and the Arc' forum last week, there were warnings about inequality that prevails in successful science cities such as Oxford and Cambridge, and the need to consult fully with communities and local businesses on the development of the Arc. The increasing scientific and commercial competition from around the globe combined with s


Net Zero Cities - sustainable infrastructure and the place-based approach
CGI of entrance to HS2 Curzon station in Birmingham (Grimshaw) Future Cities Forum is holding its infrastructure event this week, looking at climate change concerns ahead of world leaders arriving at COP 26 in November. The forum is being led by guest speaker Stephen Dance, Head of the Commercial Adviser Team at the Infrastructure & Projects Authority. The IPA stated recently its commitment to Net Zero by adopting modern methods of construction (MMC) across 170 construction p


Chapman Taylor's heritage-sensitive Moat Lane regeneration scheme
Aerial view of Towcester, Northamptonshire (by Mark Nichol Photography) showing the Moat Lane project by Chapman Taylor The Moat Lane mixed-use regeneration scheme has completed in the historic UK town of Towcester, Northamptonshire. Moat Lane is a residential-led regeneration project which has been sensitively built around a scheduled ancient monument (the restored Bury Mount, the remains of an ancient motte and bailey castle). The BREEAM Very Good development is designed to