Development Planning Unit News http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/latest/news/dpu-filter/index/rss Welcome to the Bartlett, UCL's world-leading faculty for multi-disciplinary education and research for the built environment. admin 2011-07-14T11:49:35Z DPU summerLab 2013 series registration open! http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/dpu-summerlab-2013-series-news The Bartlett Development Planning Unit is happy to officially announce the launch of the DPU summerLab 2013 series . The 2013 series contains several innovations including the introduction of two Latin America destinations and our own backyard of London in addition to the consolidated initiative in Rome. This expansion is due in part to having received very generous scholarship funding support this year. Drawing on the progressive action-research ethos of the DPU in collaboration with local partners, the workshop series aims to leverage the reality of the city as a laboratory for developing socially responsive design and planning measures. It is intended to provoke, stimulate, and reconsider the role of designers and practitioners in promoting spatial justice. The workshops, geared toward students and emerging professionals, offer a vital testing ground for the proposing of contextual, hybridized spatial interventions embedded with socio-political agendas. The schedule of the DPU summerLab 2013 series is: Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-05-20T11:46:47Z DPU at Cities Methodologies 2013 http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/CM2013 The DPU will be well represented again in the upcoming Cities Methodologies 2013 exhibition presented by UCL Urban Laboratory to be held at the Slade Research Centre on UCL’s campus April 23-26.  Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-04-17T12:47:00Z MSc Social Development Practice Awarded UCL Teaching Innovations Grant http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/sdp-ucl-grant The SDP programme has been awarded a Teaching Innovations grant from UCL to undertake the project entitled ‘Engaging Leaders for Social Change: An Action-Learning Platform’. The Teaching Innovations grant is designed to support projects that undertake creative and novel methods of teaching and learning. The ‘Engaging Leaders for Social Change’ project will run during the first two terms of the following academic year (2013-2014), and will be used to deepen the engagement of MSc students during the London-based exercise of their practice module. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-03-19T15:09:09Z Robert Biel publishes his latest book, 'The Entropy of Capitalism' http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/entropy-capitalism Drawing on his experience in international systems and low-input agriculture, the book sees Biel exploring the interactions of social and physical systems. In the process he reveals the early twenty-first century as a period when capitalism starts parasitising on the chaos it itself creates, notably in the link between the two sides of imperialism: militarism (the ‘war on terror’) and speculative finance capital. The project is published by Haymarket and is part of their Studies in Critical Social Science Book Series. It is available through the Haymarket or Amazon . Robert Biel is a former lecturer in political ecology at the DPU and still very much involved with the Unit, especially through its PhD programme in which he formerly led. His early book The New Imperialism was published by Zed Books in 2000. He continues to research extensively on systems theory and has enjoyed a more recent particular focus on many facets of urban agriculture programmes. Please stay tuned for more information regarding launch events for the book... Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-03-19T11:46:15Z Publication Launch. Regeneration and Well-Being in East London: Stories from Carpenters Estate http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/carpenters-estate-2013 Photo by ©Alexandre Apsan Frediani Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-03-15T15:29:41Z DPU at the Asian Housing Rights Summit http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/ahr-summit William Hunter , DPU Teaching Fellow on the MSc Building and Urban Design in Development is currently attending and representing the DPU at the annual UPCA/ACHR/ACCA Regional Meeting being held in Bangkok from February 23-28. This joint summit is the rendezvous point for the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights and is attended by community representatives and delegates from 19 countries throughout Asia who are reporting on their involvement in ACHR’s Asian Coalition for Community Action Program (ACCA) . This fascinating event has so far seen individuals from as far reaching as the Fiji Islands to Mongolia and South Africa enthusiastically presenting their challenges and future agendas for the second implementing phase, ACCA II. What is emerging from these uniquely geographic regions and diverse communities is a shared directive focusing on community savings through the prioritised role of women, better communication within and between communities and government, and the evolving participation of community architects in the upgrading of generally informal settlements. The opportunity to share experiences and learn from the successes and failures across such a large landscape is proving to be a most beneficial time for all involved. As ACHR Secretary General asserts, the point of this movement and any appropriate development is for “the poor themselves (to) become the doers and the deliverers of solutions to the huge problems of urban poverty, land and housing.” Here in Bangkok, amongst the passion and pride, this charge seems very possible. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-02-26T17:45:43Z 4 Days in Brescia – MSc BUDD experiences the 'City of Euphemia' http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/brescia-budd-camp-2013 During a long weekend in early February, participants of the MSc Building and Urban Design (BUDD) course, along with director Camillo Boano, tutor Caroline Newton and Graduate Assistant Emily Kelling, set out again on the streets of Brescia, Italy for the 2013 BUDDcamp . The task was to develop transformative design strategies rooted in a socio-spatial understanding of the different sites and the people inhabiting them. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-02-19T17:36:48Z DPU Alumni wins UN-Habitat Best Practice Transfer Awards http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/habitat-best-practices Ignacia Ossul (ex SDP and current PhD) and TECHO , the Valparaiso-based NGO where she was serving as Regional Director, have been recognized with the Best Practice Transfer Award from UN-Habitat for their work in the slums of Latin America. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-02-13T13:04:48Z DPU Kick-starts Junior Professionals Programme with ACHR in Southeast Asia http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/internshipsasia This week the first class of the DPU/ACHR Junior Professionals Programme met in Bangkok along with Dr. Camillo Boano, director of the MSc Building and Urban Design and Development , and various members of the Asian Coalition of Housing Rights (ACHR), and Community Architects Network (CAN). The partnership and initiative dates back to 2010 following the first of a series of field trips to Bangkok between the BUDD and UDP courses. Under the Junior Professional Programme, six DPU Alumni were awarded 6-month paid internships to work in several countries throughout Southeast Asia. These ex-students will experience on-the-job-training supporting the advancement and use of methodologies and tools in community-driven development, specifically working with organisations and community members. To kick-off the group worked with Somsook Boonyabancha (ACHR) , Supawut Boonmahathanakorn and Chawanad Luansang (CAN coordinators) through a few days of induction, conversations and training before moving on to start their work in the areas of mapping, planning, design, management, recovery and rehabilitation of housing, land and settlement. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-01-29T17:00:07Z UN-HABITAT Best Practices Award to a Building and Urban Design in Development (BUDD) Alumni http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/habitatawards Camila Cociña , BUDD alumni (2011-12)and co-founder of the Chile-based NGO Reconstruye , has been selected as one of the 100 "Best Practices" by UN-HABITAT and the Dubai Government in 2012, for the project " Network initiatives to reconstruct in a sustainable way ". Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2013-01-22T16:51:52Z DPU is recruiting: Research Associate in Mapping Urbanisation http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/job-mapping-urbanisation Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-12-23T16:11:06Z ESD+15 Anniversary http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/esd15 We have launched an interactive map of ESD alumni to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the MSc in Environment and Sustainable Development (ESD). Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-07-06T11:13:32Z International observation: elections in Somaliland http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/somaliland-elections-2012 On November 28th, 2012, Somaliland, the region that unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, held local council elections. The campaign and election was witnessed by Dr. Michael Walls and Stephanie Butcher of the DPU, who were a part of a 51-member team of international election observers, coordinated by Michael in collaboration with Dr. Steve Kibble of the international NGO, Progressio . Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-12-10T00:37:57Z Meta-narratives of Phillippine Urbanism http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/phillipine-urbanism In September 2012 the DPU’s MSc Building and Urban Design in Development (BUDD) launched a ‘live’ case study project, “Meta-narratives of Philippine Urbanism”. Following on previous ‘live’ case studies, the project forms the basis of the BUDD studio module and has been developed in close collaboration with the Philippines Alliance network (Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines, Technical Assistance Movement for People and the Environment, and Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives). Although the primary studio investigation will be run remotely from London, the original design briefs were developed by the Alliance network and communities in Manila, Iloilo, and Davao during a field research visit undertaken by William Hunter (BUDD Teaching Fellow) and Camillo Boano (BUDD Course Director), who will conduct the studio along with Caroline Newton (BUDD lecturer). See Exploring New Partnerships in Asia Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-28T17:15:21Z Podcast seminar with Jordi Borja: "Las trampas del lenguaje en la reflexión crítica de la ciudad" http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/jordi-borja This seminar was given in Spanish, with no English translation – apologies! Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-26T18:59:31Z International Conference on URBAN CHANGE IN IRAN http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/urban-change-iran The International conference of URBAN CHANGE IN IRAN was held on 8th and 9th November at UCL. Hosted by the Bartlett DPU, it was an independent bottom up initiative, which attracted support of both Iranian and non-Iranian built environment students, academics and professionals from around the globe. It received 625 abstracts during call for papers period, and well over 120 of those academics and professionals attended the conference. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-21T15:43:11Z Future Proofing Cities: Risks and Responses to Inclusive Urban Growth in Developing Countries http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/future-proofing-cities Source: Future Proofing Cities report (c)Atkins 2012 Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-20T17:39:01Z Mapping popular resistance and dwelling practices in the slopes of Bogotá hills, Colombia. http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/bogota-hills The 'Heuristics' research platform interrogates the political agency of mapping and maps through two strategies. The first one called Dialogues on the Move has articulated so far five stops in Milan, Cairo, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and London, where practitioners and academics from all over the world have come together to join heads in responding to the core questions addressed by the platform. To parallel this series with a hands-on approach, we have just held the first Action Learning Alliance hosted in Bogota, Colombia. The workshop brought together local communities, practitioners, academics and representatives of relevant government agencies who mapped together past, current and future strategies and popular dwelling practices that can mitigate and manage risk in the slopes of Bogota hills not just for the protection of the forest reserve uphill but also of the right to the city of the communities settled in this territory.   To find out more about the outcomes of this experience, please visit: http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/mapping-environmental-change/dialogues-on-the-move/bogota Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-20T12:15:19Z DPU at Cities to be Tamed? conference in Milan http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/city-tamed Dr. Camillo Boano (MSc BUDD Director) and Dr. Colin Marx (PhD Program Director) attended the conference Cities to be Tamed? Standards and Alternatives in the transformations of the Urban South , at the Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, organised by Spazicontesi/Contestedspaces , and promoted by Politecnico di Milano/ DIAP, Department of Architecture and Planning and School of Architecture , in collaboration with the Department’s Laboratory of International Cooperation . Bianca Maria Nardella , PhD student at the DPU was also in attendance. Dr. Boano, was part of the Scientific Committee and in addition chaired a number of sessions on Design Principles and Informality, including acting as discussant for the Keynote Lecture between Nabeel Hamdi (former DPU) and Bruno de Moulder chaired by Alessandro Balducci. Dr Marx, presented his paper titled 'Re-envisioning Informal Settlements and HIV and Aids Together' , while Bianca Maria Nardella presented her paper titled 'Orienting the Knowledge of International Urban Conservation in the Light of the Arab Revolutions' . The conference in Milan was very successful, garnering a large crowd, among them some DPU alumni and friends. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-19T12:40:30Z #CITYCHAT: a twitter event on urbanism and humanitarian response http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/citychat Yesterday, 15th Nov a very interesting chat around post-disaster planning took place in the virtual space of Twitter. Academics, practitioners, people with and none experience and connected from wired devices met at the #citychat room to discuss around a specific set of questions devised by the organisers @alisonkilling , @katzncrawf and @CamilloBoano . The event was hosted by @MITCoLab . This is what happened: Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-16T14:22:13Z DPU PhD thesis awarded first prize in Latin America http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/06112012-1 Dr Ernesto López, assistant professor in the University of Chile and PhD in Urban Planning from the DPU was awarded first prize in the FONAVIP-REDALYC PhD Thesis Competition . This award focuses on postgraduate academic outputs on housing and urban issues in Latin America. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-06T14:45:16Z DPU Working Papers RELAUNCHED http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/06112012 After a period of re-branding under the editorial coordination of Camillo Boano and Barbara Lipietz and with a stylistic revamping by Giorgio Talocci, the DPU has recently relaunched its DPU Working Papers publication series. The DPU Working Papers have long been an instrumental output for the Department, illustrating the highest level of scholarly writing by students and faculty, and covering a vast array of topics revolving around urban development, from governance and policy to housing and citizenry. This relaunch carries a continued directive to consistently collect and present the finest scholarly research produced at the DPU. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-06T12:43:47Z Obituary: Prof. Colin Rosser http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/01112012 Professor Colin Rosser, former Director of the Development Planning Unit, UCL, has died at the age of 86. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-11-06T14:51:32Z Exploring new partnerships in Asia http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/asia Camillo Boano and William Hunter have just returned from the Philippines where they visited various communities across Manila, Iloilo City and Davao City. Supported by the Homeless People's Federation of the Philippines (HPFPI), the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment (TAMPEI) and Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives (PACSII), these communities are involved in various upgrading projects and initiatives revolving around challenges of land tenure, community resource building, and environmental hazards. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-09-14T23:08:44Z DPU summerLab: Rome 2012 http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/dpu/news/summerlab The second annual summerLab Rome-Occupation City is now underway in the Italian capital once again ran in collaboration with Francesco Careri of Stalker/Roma Tre University. Planning for a socially just and sustainable development in the global south. Gynna F Millan Franco 2012-09-14T19:34:26Z