About this Event
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The National Urban Design Conference 2026: Glasgow
The Urban Design Group is excited to announce that we will be holding the National Urban Design Conference for 2026 in Glasgow.
This year, we will explore the theme ‘Places for LIFE’, drawing inspiration from Glasgow and beyond. Expect an outstanding programme featuring insightful talks and current thinking from leading speakers, inspiring walking workshops, engaging discussions, and plenty of opportunities for meaningful conversations, connection and networking.
Together, throughout the conference, participants will have the opportunity to identify ways to improve existing government policy, guidance and practice, helping to shape a shared agenda that as a community can be taken forward to influence debate, inspire action and deliver meaningful progress across the built environment industry and beyond.
Programme
Day 1 (Thursday)
Session 1: Glasgow's Story: Programmes, Performance and Place
Our opening session will introduce delegates to this year’s conference destination. Exploring Glasgow's recent urban journey through policy, projects, culture and city-making.
Professor Campbell Booth, Associate Principal & Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor Brian Mark Evans, the Glasgow School of Art
Karen Shaw, Glasgow Life
Chair: Hannah and Rob
Session 2: Exploring Glasgow (Walking Workshops)
After learning about Glasgow's story, delegates will head out into the city centre to experience it firsthand. A choice of guided walking workshops will explore the places, people and projects shaping Glasgow, introducing and bringing key conference themes to life through real-world examples.
- Building Neighbourhoods: The Laurieston Transformation
- From Darkness to Enlightenment: Glasgow Reassembled - A Walk through Time and Change
- Streets for People: The Glasgow Avenues Project
- Her City UN-Habitat Based Walk
- Civic Placemaking: George Square
- Sauchiehall Street Culture and Heritage District
- Drawing Masterclass (breakout room)
Session 3: Places You Can Fall in Love With
What makes a place memorable and meaningful? This session explores how heritage shapes identity, fosters belonging and strengthens communities. Speakers will examine our psychological attachment to place and demonstrate how conserving and adapting historic buildings can create distinctive places that people value for generations.
Henrietta Billings, Director, SAVE Britain's Heritage
Cllr Ruairi Kelly, City Convener for Housing, Development, Built Heritage and Land Use Glasgow City Council
Nick Ecob, Director Stallan Brand
Chair: Nick Walker, Director, Built Heritage & Townscape (Scotland), Iceni Projects / UDG Recognised Practitioner
Session 4: Places where you can just BE
From ideas to practice: Glasgow's Feminist Planning Toolkit
How do we put the principles of feminist urbanism into practice? This session explores what it means for Glasgow to be the UK's first Feminist City, from policy commitment to the development of a new Feminist Planning Toolkit. How can women’s lived experience, intersectionality, safety and inclusion be translated into everyday planning and design decisions?
Gina Colley, Architect / Director at Threesixty Architecture Ltd
Laetitia Butler, Feminist Urbanism Project Officer, Glasgow City Council
Reception and Dinner at 1599 at the Royal College
Guests will be welcomed with drinks and the opportunity to explore highlights from the College's historic collection, including its currect exhibition Dear Green Places: Nature and our Health · Heritage. This will be followed by dinner in the magnificent College Hall, where soaring ceilings, intricate period details, and the company of fellow built environment professionals provide a setting for connection and a memorable evening.
After-dinner address from Dr Robyne Calvert, Lecturer in History of Art and Visual Culture, University of Glasgow and author of "The Mack: Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School of Art"
Day 2 (Friday)
Session 1: Places Where You Can Thrive
Explore the ingredients of thriving neighbourhoods, from getting density right to fostering strong communities and supporting innovation and enterprise. Speakers will examine how thoughtful urban design can create productive, connected and resilient places.
Husam AlWaer, Professor and Chair in Urban Design, University of Dundee/ UDG Executive Board member
Hannah Smart, Chair Urban Design Group and Founder Director, edge Urban Design
Christopher Martin, Co-Founder + Managing Director, Urban Movement
Dr. Ombretta Romice, Course director MSc in Urban Design, University of Strathclyde
Chair: Laura Alvarez, Design and Placemaking Lead, Nottingham City Council
Session 2: Places to Live and Breathe - Nature at the Heart of Urban Design (Workshops)
How do we create places where everyone feels safe, welcome and able to thrive? Through a choice of workshops, delegates will have the opportunity to explore how urban design can create healthier, safer and more inclusive places.
- Designing Public Spaces for Everyone with Helen Forman, Urban Design Manager, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Playing with Place: Co-designing Greener, More Resilient Communities with Dr Sarah Crowe Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Planning, University of the West of Scotland & Founder, Sarah Crowe Planning
- Finding Our Way: Applying Neuroscience to Urban Design with Dr Kate Jeffery, Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow
- Design for Children in Practice with Anna Gaffney, Policy & Projects Manager, A Place in Childhood and Daniela Miler, Urban Design, AtkinsRealis
Session 3: Places for Life: Vision to Reality
How do bold ideas become lasting change? This session explores how new thinking, effective leadership and strategic investment can turn ambitious visions into real places. Speakers will examine how policy, design and collaboration can work together to look beyond the status quo and deliver change.
Dr May East, International Urbanist, Educator, Practitioner and Director of the Cities Programme at UN House Scotland
Daisy Narayanan MBE, Director of Public Realm and Inclusive Design, The Crown Estate
Session 4: Urban Design Question Time
What have we learned? What questions remain? And what needs to change? Bringing together the themes of the conference, our panel reflects on the ideas, challenges and opportunities shaping urban design today.
Chair: Heather Claridge
Niall Murphy, Glasgow City Heritage
Rory Wilson, Director, LDA Design
Dr Nicola Livingstone, Professor in Real Estate, University of Glasgow
Sighthill Visit and Tour
Explore Sighthill on foot and discover how a major regeneration project is transforming streets, public spaces, housing and connections across the M8 to create a new part of Glasgow.
Guided by Kirstin Taylor and Rory Wilson, Directors at LDA Design, Dan Thompson Development Manager and Chamille Andrews, Community Benefits Manager, Keepmoat.
Fringe Events
Open to everyone! You don’t need to be part of the conference!
Four Minutes to Change the City - Conference Opening Get-Together (Wednesday 7 Oct)
Cumbernauld New Town Study Visit (Saturday 10 Oct)
Book now!
Momentum is growing and it's an exciting time for urban design. Join the urban design community in Glasgow to exchange ideas, solve problems collaboratively, and turn ideas into action!
Special thanks to our sponsors: Urban Green, Ryder and New Masterplanning
Event venue & nearby stays
Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) Conference, Meetings & Events - University of Strathclyde, 99 George Street, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.