The 'Make it Happen' Conference

As a Director at Jestico + Whiles, James’ particular focus is in human centric experiential design as the driver in successful placemaking.

In recent years, and increasingly, this interest has been successfully applied to projects that seamlessly blend previously discrete uses and typologies into holistic experiences.

Jestico + Whiles is the designer of 1 The Island Quarter. Set on a primary gateway to The Island Quarter, it is part of a set of buildings and places conceptualised by Jestico + Whiles that serve as the introduction of The Island Quarter to the city,  providing an early focus for animation and activation.

With more than 20 years in international urban and architectural practice, Laura’s work in the UK includes the award-winning Design Quality Framework for Nottingham City and its acclaimed engagement platform Co-PLACE, consultancy for several award-winning schemes, advisory support to local and regional authorities, and co-authoring the Placemaking Guide for a major British housebuilder. Laura also works as an expert advisor to regional design councils and review panels, and as an expert speaker and coach for several renowned institutions. She is also a writer, critic, and broadcast commentator, with contributions to major broadsheet publications. Laura is the East Midlands Convenor for the Urban Design Group, and was amongst the first recognised urban design practitioners in the UK. She is a guest lecturer at a broad range of universities, including Nottingham, Manchester, and Newcastle. As a qualified Community Organiser, she maintains several active roles where she passionately promotes place democracy.

Joanne is an architect and urban designer. She is the Research Lead at the Office for Place, a new arms-length body to the Department for Levelling up Housing and Communities, which will help neighbourhoods to create beautiful, successful, and enduring places that foster a sense of community, local pride and belonging.

Clare has 25 years’ experience working on sustainable transport and climate change, across the public sector and third sector. Clare is the England Director for the Midlands & East at Sustrans. She is accountable for the strategic direction and impact of a team of 60 great regional colleagues. Before joining Sustrans, Clare was a Senior Strategy Advisor in Whitehall, working on climate change & energy strategy. Prior to that, she was the Transport Specialist to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. Clare lives in Nottinghamshire.

David has over 35 years’ professional experience in the planning process, as it relates to large-scale infrastructure and development projects. He has provided planning advice and project management services on a wide range of mixed-use, industrial and commercial schemes, from inception through to completion. In recent years, his efforts have been focussed on high profile developments of regional and national significance, many of which have involved environmental constraints and restrictions. The diversity of these projects has also given David an excellent understanding of the various statutory instruments, procedures and legislation which govern the development process in the UK.

www.axis.co.uk

www.theislandquarter.com        

Ian co-created Leonard Design Architects in 2006 following several years working for an Architectural practice specialising in heritage, residential and urban regeneration projects. He has a wide range of experience working for public and private sector clients with a passion for great design. He is a chartered architect with over 20 years of project experience.

With extensive knowledge of urban regeneration, education, housing, retail planning and design, Ian has led design teams on large, complex mixed-use projects around the globe and worked in close collaboration with many other leading architectural practices.

Carolyn is Director of Live Works, the School of Architecture’s project office and urban room in Sheffield city centre. She also supervises the Live Projects programme which involves groups of Masters students working with external partners to deliver real projects for the benefit of community and civic organisations in Sheffield, across the UK and internationally.

Carolyn is Co-Chair of the national Urban Rooms Network, an interdisciplinary network she founded in 2015, whose membership is drawn from the arts, planning, architecture, education, heritage, community, and local government. Urban rooms are spaces where people can come together to explore the past, present and co-produce a future for their place.

Live Works: https://liveworks.ssoa.info/

Urban Rooms Network: https://urbanroomsnetwork.org/

Urban Rooms Toolkit: https://urbanroomstoolkit.org/    

Diane is an inter-disciplinary artist, curator and producer who works collaboratively to explore the intersections of public, private and liminal space. Her work seeks to provoke insight into how urban space is experienced, quantified, produced and understood. She is interested in the notions of Civic and Public – how people connect to place, each other and larger concerns that impact on the everyday. She is motivated by how the creation of opportunities in art making or business enables a holistic approach to placemaking that can benefit all. She leads Folkestone Fringe, is founder of Urban Room Folkestone, and curated Folkstone’s Harbour Arm its inception in 2015 until 2022.

Director Folkestone Fringe
Co-Chair Urban Room Network
Founder Urban Room Folkestone

Mick Dunn's journey into the geospatial industry began during his formative years studying Environmental Engineering and GIS research at the University of Nottingham. His transition into professional roles saw him create and assume the GIS leadership role at Nottingham City Council, where he spearheaded geospatial innovation for over two decades.

Mick is currently leading two DLUHC Innovation projects focusing on how geospatial data can leverage more efficient and effective operational processes and how the utilisation of 3D, GIS, and VR technologies can enhance engagement and understanding of planning processes.

As Head of Digital it is Josh’s responsibility to implement and drive the integration of digital construction principles within Maber and across the industry. Josh leads Mabers’ digital consultancy team in defining and delivering on clients strategic digital requirements; from ISO19650 BIM Compliance to Mixed Reality visualisation and embedded sustainability toolkits.

Originally joining Maber in 2014, Josh has a broad range of industry relevant experience which is reflected in a pragmatic approach to delivering digital services. He has also been active in promoting VR / AR in the construction industry across various events in the UK and looks forward to its wider implementation in the industry. Maber is a leading AJ100 Architectural practice and BIM Consultancy with offices and projects across the UK.

Chryse has been working as a landscape planner at Leicester City Council for 16 years; prior to that she worked for various Groundwork Trusts in the East Midlands. Her training has included degrees in architecture and landscape architecture, a post grad diploma in landscape and a master’s in environmental management.

In 2018 she was the first ever national SuDS champion.  Her work ranges from city centre design (highways), achieving better residential developments (urban design) through to creating wetlands (flood management and ecology); and not forgetting public art for good measure.

The secret to her success is working with others.

Nicola trained as an architect and spent her early career in community led regeneration in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derby. She has been an Urban Designer for 18 years with the last 16 years at Leicester City Council where she is Urban Design Lead, with a wide scope of work including large residential schemes, major planning applications, design guides and policy.

She enjoys the opportunities in her role to work at a variety of scales, from city centre strategies for tall development to materials and design details and everything else in between.

Justin Webber is a planner, urban designer and building conservation specialist. He is currently Historic Environment Team leader at Leicester City Council and a part-time lecturer at the University of Leicester. He was past Chair of the Royal Town Planning Institute Urban Design Network and its Historic Environment sub-group, and a past chair of the IHBC Summer School. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Urban History and is a member of the Design Review Panel for Design: Midlands.

Suzanne Davenport, Associate, Studio Partington (DipArch Kingston University; MA University of Cambridge) is a skilled communicator and architect working on community buildings and housing. Through numerous roles Suzanne has developed expertise in robust low energy design, community engagement, radical retrofit, modern methods of construction, and listed building conservation. Notable projects include Duke Street Church renovation, Swanage Pier regeneration, 2050 Homes Nottingham (which was featured at COP26) and Derwenthorpe low carbon community.

Dharmista manages Design:Midlands' Design Review Panel specialising in the promotion and recognition of design quality, providing timely design and engagement interventions across a range of projects. Dharmista is a Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI) with experience in development management, conservation, regeneration and urban design.

Martin has led the Midlands and East regional Design and Engineering team since 2016, and has developed a highly skilled, multi-disciplined team that deliver high quality solutions to enable walking and cycling across a wide variety of environments.

Martin has 30 years' experience in infrastructure design, site regeneration and construction. This allows a structured thought process and understanding as schemes develop from concept plans to completion. His extensive design and construction experience is inspiring and thought provoking. Martin sits on the UK Roads Board ‘Footway Cycleway Management Group’ and has co-authored several design guides on cycle infrastructure design.