Human-Centred Digital Transformation
We explore the overlap of digital innovation and human experience within the built environment, where integrated workflows that combine tools like 3D Modelling, Artificial Intelligence, and Extended Reality might be used to enhance liveable and sustainable urban Places. Our purpose is to think beyond technical focused implementation, to research on the social and psychological dimensions of urban change.
Central to our study is the application of transdisciplinary methods for design and deign management to facilitate deeper collaboration within and beyond architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning/design. Our research projects seek to close sil oed process and the academic theory to design practice gaps. We aim to innovative areas of digital transformation that recognise diverse urban populations, with technologically advanced yet fundamentally grounded, user-centred impact.
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Empathy-led Digital Adoption: Investigating how design management frameworks can be used to ensure that digital tools like BIM and AI are adopted in ways that prioritise human wellbeing and organisational culture, rather than just technical efficiency.
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Spatial Computing for Co-Urban Design: Exploring the use of Augmented and Virtual Reality (XR) as participatory tools to democratise the planning process, allowing non-experts to visualise and influence urban developments in real time.
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Data-Informed Narrative Place-making: Using data analytics, AI-supported pattern recognition and visual storytelling to inform urban design decisions grounded in the lived realities of local communities.
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Transdisciplinary Methodologies: how the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) can break down professional silos in the built environment, fostering more creative and resilient urban solutions.
Members:
Dr Lucas Hughes Lucas.Hughes@bcu.ac.uk (lead)
Dr Mersha Aftab Mersha.aftab@bcu.ac.uk
Luke Reynolds Luke.Reynolds@bcu.ac.uk
Tom Tebby Tom.Tebby@bcu.ac.uk
Nuno Lourinho Nuno.Lourinho@bcu.ac.uk
Victoria Farrow, De Montfort University (External Member)
Projects:
Applied AR walk: remake Southside BID with communities onsite