Architecture - Landscape and Environment Perception

Landscape architecture and environmental perception form two key areas of research focus which embrace a number of activities that typically examine the ways we perceive the environment and the responses of the designer.

Research is typified by a multidisciplinary approach working with other institutions across the university sector and partners drawn from the community, practice and other organisations.

The unique qualities of Birmingham, its particular landscape infrastructure, green spaces, canal infrastructure, heritage and diverse population, make it a unique area for research studies with research embracing natural and man-made environments. Work has a strong record of funding; recent or current funding sources include the UK Research councils, AHRC, EPSRC, ESRC/RELU, the Leverhulme Trust, and European Sources including participation in the EU COST Action.

Recent projects

Recent major projects include working across the EPSRC Sustainable Urban Environments theme, examining Urban Futures, adopting a scenario approach and Urban Futures Methodology in the Design of Resilient Cities, engaging with the Somali Community to examine community connections, working with practice to establish well-being parameters over a range of locations, working with British Waterways under an AHRC collaborative Doctoral Awards (AHRC), with Birmingham Botanical Gardens examining the deep values and meaning associated with landscape access and working on the landscape implications of the impact of the HS2 rail link.

Past research includes a major investigation of urban green spaces across Europe (Project URGE, EU FP5) and development of the concept of urban forestry via an EU COST Action with work on urban Allotments forming the theme of a current COST action.