Future of the High Street
As part of my role as Smart Places Lead at the Edinburgh Futures Institute (2019-2021), I led a number of public realm-focussed projects that mixed research and practice.
A highlight was leading and delivering project ‘The Future of the High Street’ (Jan-July 2021). This involved a mix of digital placemaking, co-design, and rapid prototyping to test possible solutions to current high street challenges. I led an interdisciplinary team of University researchers alongside architects New Practice to combine a co-design and iterative design approach with robust ‘collaborative evaluation’ and my previous experience leading public realm design and Public Life Studies to understand the impact of these small-scale ‘high street tweaks’ on the high street as a liveable, vibrant and successful place.
A Toolkit of 6 ideas for these ‘high street tweaks’ was developed through conversations, surveys and digital co-design workshops with businesses, residents and organisations from two high street project locations - Gorgie/Dalry in Edinburgh and Dalkeith. Two ideas were selected to be rapidly prototyped, piloted and evaluated on-site, with both leading to permanent legacy.
The project was funded by the Scottish Funding Council, and delivered by myself and the team at the Edinburgh Futures Institute and Edinburgh Living Lab in collaboration with the Data-Driven Innovation programme and New Practice architects.
Read more on the blog.
Final summary project report, including details of pilots, impact, public life studies, methods, approaches and lessons learned
Public Life Study: Dalkeith
Webinar about the project viewable here. Live illustration by Katie Chappell.
Toolkit of 6 Ideas for prototyping High Street Tweaks - developed together with high street residents, businesses and organisations
Public Life Study: Gorgie-Dalry high street