NEWSLETTER | Winter 2024
Dear Friends
As we move into 2024, we reflect on another year of transformative projects and inspiring collaborations. And we set out our goals for the year ahead.
We spent the past year growing and refining Space Syntax's services across five complementary streams: Studio, Consulting, Training, Research, Digital. The snippets below provide a flavour of our activities in each and illustrate the impacts our work is having on the creation of sustainable buildings and cities.
Thank you for your ongoing support. Together, let's continue to explore the challenges that drive the creation of thriving and resilient places.
Sending you our best wishes
Director | Employee Owner
STUDIO
Our Studio of architects, urban planners and public realm designers is dedicated to the creation of liveable, sustainable and healthy communities. In 2023, we provided evidence-based and people-focused design services that produced:
Local plans in the Middle East
Temporary installations for the European Commission
And a university campus strategy in Central Asia.
In 2024, we will investigate how to further integrate economics into design. This will include blending design methods with city monitoring for targeted, measurable improvements. In parallel with this we will continue to develop AI-based tools for generative urban planning that optimise positive long-term outcomes.
Is it possible to use AI to grow a city in a way that learns from how places evolve naturally? We think so…
CONSULTING
The Consulting team at Space Syntax has continued to support the owners, developers and designers of projects that are setting new benchmarks for sustainable development. The shift to a low-carbon society hinges on the creation of human-centric environments that promote well-being and responsible productivity. These progressive goals are shifting the expectations of planning authorities and end-users towards walkability, user experience, social impact and public value: issues that we have continued to pioneer an understanding of.
In 2023, we advised on the public realm design of London-based projects including 18 Blackfriars with Foster + Partners / 汉斯 / Lipton Rogers Developments LLP and 55 Bishopsgate with Arney Fender Katsalidis (AFK Studios) / Stanhope PLC . Working with the City of London Corporation , we provided a visitor experience strategy for Tower Bridge and its urban surroundings.
18 Blackfriars | Public realm visibility analysis
55 Bishopsgate | Pedestrian movement analysis
Tower Bridge?| Public realm studies
Across the UK, we supported Homes England and their local partners to ensure the walkability of new, sustainable neighbourhoods. In Berlin, we partnered with Drees & Sommer to provide user experience design advice for a significant new government building. And in Melbourne, we undertook a major urban design study to explore the current performance of six local neighbourhoods, identifying opportunities for integrating them into new, transit-oriented developments along a new rail connection.
Melbourne | Urban corridors study
Looking ahead, our focus is on increasing engagement with clients and partners to match evolving needs and maximise the impact of our projects.
How can we help you with your ambitions in 2024?
领英推荐
TRAINING
Throughout 2023, our rapidly growing Training stream explained the principles, tools and methods behind the Space Syntax approach to a diverse range of audiences in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Syntax_101 collaborative exercise | Building a city following simple rules
Live Q&A with course leaders Ed Parham & Dr Francesca Froy
In 2024, our goal is to evolve our services into a blend of both live and pre-recorded sessions. Alongside the live events that allow direct interaction with Space Syntax trainers, we will provide pre-recorded, modular learning materials hosted by various online platforms. To cater to diverse audiences, we will refine our training approach by tailoring content to specific learning points, following the results of our recent survey – in which you may have participated – that allowed us to find out what motivates people to complete online training courses.
You spoke and we are acting!
RESEARCH
Our Research strategy combines in-house, project-oriented research with academic collaborations funded by research councils. Its mission is first, to address key global challenges through science-based and human-focused analysis then second, to improve the services we provide through our Consulting and Studio streams.
In 2023, our research activities spanned the subjects of spatial economics, walkability, Integrated Urban Modelling, land use planning, low-carbon urbanism and spatial ecology. Recent milestones include the successful completion of the EU-funded CIVITAS SUMP-PLUS project, which produced open-source tools for smaller cities to create Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
In January 2023, we launched the TWIN2EXPAND:Towards Research Excellence in Evidence-Based Urban Planning and Design (EBDP) project, a 3-year research and knowledge-transfer initiative supported by Innovate UK and EU Horizon funding. TWIN2EXPAND is designed to elevate and disseminate the quality of research in the field of evidence-based design and planning on a European scale.
More recently, we secured a grant from Innovate UK to partner with Bioregional to investigate the relationship between carbon emissions and street network systems, utilizing the UK Integrated Urban Model we developed as part of in-house research several years ago.
CIVITAS SUMP-PLUS | Case study in Platanias, Crete
TWIN2EXPAND?| Space Syntax City Walk led by Prof Tim Stonor
A new focus in 2024 will be the enhancement of our in-house knowledge management system, with the aim of improving access to over 30 years of experience for both internal and external users. This effort will be reinforced by our ongoing Multiverse Apprenticeships that are providing colleagues with enhanced skills in Data Analysis, Data Literacy and AI-driven solutions.
Multiverse Apprenticeships
DIGITAL
Our team continues to refresh and develop our Digital tools to add functionality and create new data outputs. As with our research activities, we combine in-house projects with externally funded commissions.
In 2023, we completed a rebuild of the graph engine that drives the spatial analysis we undertake across all scales of design, from national urban models to building interiors. Faster and more accurate, SSxGE (pronounced ‘sage’) is being rolled out through live testing on Studio and Consulting projects, a tried and tested process of accelerated innovation that has worked well for us since the 1980s.
Our key goal in 2024 is to develop tools that enhance the Training experience: making spatial analysis simpler, more accessible and, at the same time, more powerful.
Our mission is to disseminate the Space Syntax approach, not just to keep it for our own exclusive use. So watch this space! Better still, let us know if you’d like to partner with us to help make this happen.
Stay tuned to Space Syntax activities here .