Planning Futures - a programme of events to celebrate 50 years of planning education in UCD
Minister Damien English TD, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal outlines his vision for the future of planning in Ireland at November’s Planning seminar in Richview
Planning Future Series
Established in 1966, UCD Planning has a long legacy of excellence in education and research. To mark the 50th anniversary of UCD Planning, a programme of events was scheduled over the course of the 2016-2017 academic year themed as Planning Futures. The aim of this programme was to celebrate UCD Planning’s contribution to the development of the profession in Ireland, to stimulate debate about the role it can play in addressing future challenges in line with the Planning Futures theme, and to provide a platform for disciplines contributing to planning across the University community. UCD Planning’s contribution to Ireland’s development, and the role of this series was recently reported in (opens in a new window)The Planner.
Details of Events in the Series
UCD Professor of Spatial Planning Zorica Nedovic-Budic officially opening the series on Thursday October 20th in UCD Richview.
Urban Design:
The first event was themed Urban Design: from visions to reality. Guest contributors were Professor of Urban Design, Ali Madanipour from Newcastle University and Kevin Murray of Glasgow University and Kevin Murray Associates, and past president of the RTPI. The event was chaired by the former Dublin City Planner, Dick Gleeson. This hugely successful launch event was attended by in excess of 120 planners, allied professionals and planning academics/researchers.
- (opens in a new window)Prof. Ali Madanipour - Temporary Spaces
- (opens in a new window)Mr Kevin Murray – from visions to reality
- (opens in a new window)Mr Dick Gleeson – reflections from the coalface
- (opens in a new window)Questions & Answers
Reflections: the past, present and future of planning:
The second event, themed Reflections: the past, present and future of planning, took place on Wednesday November 30th in UCD Richview. Professor of Spatial Planning Zorica Nedovic-Budic opened the event with Minister Damien English TD, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, providing a keynote address on the Housing Action Plan and the forthcoming National Planning Framework. Professor of Planning Mark Tewdwr-Jones of Newcastle University and Newcastle City Futures also gave a keynote on the future direction of planning. Other contributors included Fergal MacCabe of McCabe Durney Barnes, Frank McDonald, former environment editor of The Irish Times, and discussion panellist John Downey, Chair RTPI Ireland and Downey Planning. The event, chaired by Deirdre Fallon, President of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI), was attended by c. 100 planners, allied professionals and academics, and members of the public.
- (opens in a new window)Mr Damien English, TD – Ministerial Comment
- (opens in a new window)Prof. Mark Tewdwr-Jone – planning: past, present and future
- (opens in a new window)Mr Frank McDonald – reflections on planning
- (opens in a new window)Mr Fergal McCabe – planning’s history and future
- (opens in a new window)Questions & Answers
Mobile Futures:
The third event, themed as Mobile Futures: transport in an urban world, took place on Thursday February 9th in the Wood Quay Venue at Dublin City Council. This event, with an attendance of 70 people, was chaired by UCD Professor Enda Murphy and included presentations by Professor Morton O'Kelly of Ohio State University, Dr. Mike Shiffer, Vice President for Planning at MTA Metro-North Railroad, New York and Dr. Tim Schwanen of University of Oxford
- (opens in a new window)Prof. Morton O’Kelly – analysing transport in cities
- (opens in a new window)Dr Mike Shiffer – enhancing urban mobility
The fourth event, as ‘Future Cities’, took place in the National Concert Hall on Thursday, 30th March. This event, with an attendance of approximately 60 people, was co-chaired by Prof Peter Clinch and Dr Francesco Pilla from the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. This seminar included presentations by Prof Michael Batty of University College London, Prof Rob Kitchen of Maynooth University, and Jamie Cudden who is the Smart City Program Manager at Dublin City Council.
The final event saw the series return to the Richview Campus in UCD. This seminar took place on Thursday, 25th May and was titled ‘Green Cities as Future Cities’. With an attendance of approximately 80 people, this seminar opened with an overview of the relationship between planning, gender and sustainability by Dr Paula Russell from the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. The seminar was then chaired by Ali Grehan, Dublin City Architect. The seminar included presentations from: Prof Elisabeth M. Hamin, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA; Assoc Prof Annika Agger, Roskilde University, Denmark; and Prof Isabelle Anguelovski, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain. Assoc Prof Brendan Williams from the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy closed the event. A drinks and food reception followed on the Richview Campus.
“Speakers and organisers from the ‘Green Cities as Future Cities’ seminar of the Planning Futures series’ (L-R: Ali Grehan, Dublin City Architect, event chair; Dr Eoin O’Neill, series co-organiser; Prof Elizabeth Hamin, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA, speaker; Assoc Prof Annika Agger, Roskilde University, Denmark, speaker; Dr Mick Lennon, series co-organiser; Dr Paula Russell, UCD, speaker; Prof Isabelle Anguelovski, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, speaker)