Staff Profiles

Urban design and architectural history and theory; urban morphology; place making; local and regional identity; urban regeneration; urban gaming; public participation and community development; research methods; sustainable urban design.

 

Modules taught

U37710  Cities in Historical Contexts (module leader);

P32073 Urban Design Theory 1 (module leader);

P32081 Urban Design Development Seminars (module leader);

P32075 Urban Design Theory 2

P32079 Urban Design Issues 1 and 2

P37603 Place Making (module Leader)

Supervision

Dissertation supervision in Urban Design and Planning (100+ );

PhD supervision: 45 completed ( 25 as Director of Studies)

PhD Examination: 46 -UK, Malysia, Australia, New Zealand, Slovenia.

Research expertise :urban design; urban regeneration; public consultation; eco-tourism; community developments; historic towns; place-identity; aesthetic control; urban design and public art; sustainable urban design; healthy cities and urban growth management.

Research group membership

Urban Design Research Group

Research grants and awards

Reserach projects have been funded by EPSRC; ESRC; Marie Curie; British Council; HEFCE; DiFID ;DCLG and other UK and international agencies and research councils and governments.

Research projects

• Healthy New Towns evaluation (NHS England) in partnership with Cherwell District Council and Oxford University.
• Healthy Urban Mobility (HUM) (with Tim Jones, Ramin Keivani, Sue Brownill and Ben spencer- ESRC)- and with Brazilian partners from Brasilia, Porto Alegre and Florianopolis. Principal Co-Investigator and Work Package 2 Co-ordinator.
• Compact Cities and Social Sustainability (with Reza Shirazi, Ramin Keivani, Sue Brownill -funded by Marie Curie, Framework 7 grant))-Principal Co-Investigator
• Evaluation of Poundbury -Duchy of Cornwall and West Dorset District Council (with Pete Smith)
• Re-Engineering the City: Retrofit 2050 (with T. Dixon and R. Ogden) - funded by EPSRC. Principal Investigator.
• UrbanBuzz: Rootscape - funded by HEFCE. Principal Investigator. CLG award for innovation.
• Regeneration of Blackbird Leys, Oxford (with Savills plc), Oxford City Council. Principla Co-Investigator
• Evidence review of Thames Gateway – funded by ODPM. Principal Investigator.
• Making Better Places – a virtual project for A level students – funded by CABE. Principal Investigator.Geographical Association Silver Medal award for creativity and innovation.
• Transferable Lessons from the New Towns Programme – funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Principal Investigator.
• Evaluation of Poundbury – funded by West Dorset District Council (Phase 1) Principal Investigator. 
• Interdisciplinary teaching in the built environment – funded by HEFCE. Principal Investigator.
• Peer Review of the National Qatar Plan, Ministry of Qatar. Principal Adviser and Investigator.

Journal articles

• M. Reza Shirazi; Ramin Keivani; Sue Brownill; Georgia Butina Watson, 'Promoting Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods: The Case of Bethnal Green, London'
  International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (2020)
  ISSN: 0309-1317
  Abstract

  Growing significance of neighbourhoods in different areas of urban planning, along with the increasing attention to the social dimension of sustainable communities and societies, emphasizes the need for conceptualizing socially sustainable neighbourhoods. This article first critically reflects on the concept of socially sustainable neighbourhoods in two areas of definition and operationalization. It then proposes a tripartite framework for measuring social sustainability of urban neighbourhoods which combines three elements of neighbourhood,
  neighbouring, and neighbours. This framework is tested, examined, and discussed in the case of Bethnal Green, London. The findings are integrated into a Social Sustainability Enhancement Index which encompasses practical recommendations to promote social sustainability of Bethnal Green. The article concludes with highlighting research and policy implications of the proposed framework, and suggests some methodological improvements for the future research.
  

• Watson GB, 'An international perspective on urban design education'
  Journal of Urban Design 21 (5) (2016) pp.545-547
  ISSN: 1357-4809
  Website 
• Dixon T, Eames M, Britnell J, Butina-Watson G, Hunt M, 'Urban retrofitting: identifying disruptive and sustaining technologies using performative and foresight techniques'
  Technological Forecasting and Social Change - (-) (2013) pp.--
  ISSN: 0040-1625
  Abstract Cities, which are now inhabited by a majority of the world's population, are not only an important source of global environmental and resource depletion problems, but can also act as important centres of technological innovation and social learning in the continuing quest for a low carbon future. Planning and managing large-scale transitions in cities to deal with these pressures require an understanding of urban retrofitting at city scale. In this context performative techniques (such as backcasting and roadmapping) can provide valuable tools for helping cities develop a strategic view of the future. However, it is also important to identify ‘disruptive’ and ‘sustaining’ technologies which may contribute to city-based sustainability transitions. This paper presents research findings from the EPSRC Retrofit 2050 project, and explores the relationship between technology roadmaps and transition theory literature, highlighting the research gaps at urban/city level. The paper develops a research methodology to describe the development of three guiding visions for city-regional retrofit futures, and identifies key sustaining and disruptive technologies at city scale within these visions using foresight (horizon scanning) techniques. The implications of the research for city-based transition studies and related methodologies are discussed.Website 
• Butina Watson G, Kessler L, 'Small changes – big gains: transforming the public and communal open spaces in rundown neighbourhoods'
  Journal of Urban Design 18 (4) (2013) pp.565-582
  ISSN: 1357-4809
  Abstract Rundown neighbourhoods and social housing estates may not be visible to the majority of the population but they have an impact on society as a whole and not just those who live in them. This paper explains the concepts, processes and methods applied in the transformational change of public and communal open spaces in EC1, south Islington in London, and highlights the benefits of the change to their everyday users. The paper brings together a body of urban design theories and urban design collaborative approaches on open space transformational change.Website 
• Durning B, Carpenter J, Glasson J, Butina Watson G, 'The spiral of knowledge development: professional knowledge development in planning'
  Planning Practice and Research 25 (4) (2010) pp.497-516
  ISSN: 0269-7459 eISSN: 1360-0583
  Abstract

  This paper explores knowledge development in professional planners in England, in both the public and private sectors. Through an exploration of how they engage and interact with a rapidly expanding knowledge base, the paper identifies how knowledge and expertise are developed that thereby inform their professional practice. It identifies the role, position in the career and level of expertise of the planner as influential to the drivers for knowledge development and the tools and techniques employed. It proposes that the level of expertise in professional planners should be seen as a spiral rather than a linear transition, and that the planning professional will move in and out of this spiral during their career in response to the changing demands of their professional practice. This paper adds to the body of academic work on the subject of practical knowledge development in planners, which is so far limited in the peer-reviewed literature.

  Website 

Book chapters

• Butina Watson G, 'Urban design and the retrofit agenda' in Lannon S, Hunt M, Dixon T, Eames M (ed.), Urban Retrofitting for Sustainability: Mapping the Transition to 2050, Taylor&Francis (2014)
  ISBN: 9780415642514 eISBN: 9781315850184
  Website 
• Butina Watson G, 'The art of place making' in Sustaining cities: urban policies, practices, and perceptions, Rutgers University Press (2012)
  ISBN: 9780813554167 eISBN: 9780813554174
  Website 

Conference papers

• Butina Watson G, 'The art of place-making'
  (2009) pp.--
  Website 

Other publications

• Durning B, Glasson J, Carpenter J, Butina Watson G, 'Professional knowledge development for sustainable communities'
  (2007)
• Butina Watson G, Carpenter J, Brownill S, Durning B, Reeve A, 'Thames Gateway Evidence Review'
  (2006) Website 

 

Examples of recent publications and conference papers

• Butina Watson ,G & Niksisc, M (2017) Public open space in the mental image of users. Journal of Urban Design. Taylor and Francis.
• Butina Watson, G (2016) 'Designing Resilient Cities and Neighbourhoods', in Sanderson, D (ed) Urban Disasters: newparadigm for action. London:Routledge
• Butina Watson, G (2014) Urban Design and the Retrofit Agenda, in Dixon, T. et al. (ed) Retrofit and Sustainability - Mapping the Transition to 2050. Abingdon: Earthscan (Routledge).
• Butina Watson, G (2014) Leraning from Pounbury 2- residents' perceptions of quality: Duchy of Cornwall and West Dorset District Council.
• Butina Watson, G, Dixon, T et al (2014) Urban Retrofitting: idenifying distruptive and sustaining technologies using performance and foresight technologies. InTechnological Forecasting and Social Change, 89.
• Butina Watson, G (2013) 'The Art of Placemaking', research chapter, in Krause, L(ed.) Urban Lost and Found, Rutgers University Press.
• Butina Watson, G & Kessler,L (2011) Small Changes-Big Impacts: Transforming the Public and Communal Open Spaces in Rundown Neighbourhoods (2013)  Journal of Urban Design,18,4. Taylor and Francis.  
• Butina Watson, G (2009) Young People and the Built Environment: can they shape our cities? Town and Planning Review, 80(3).
• Butina Watson, G. & Bentley, I. (2007). Identity by Design. Architectural Press.
• Butina Watson, G., de Schiller, S. & Bentley, I. (2007). Sustainable Urban Form: Environment and Climate Responsive Design. In: Zetter, R. & Butina Watson, G., (eds.) Sustainable Urban Design. London: Ashgate.
• Zetter, R. & Butina Watson, G. (2007). Designing Sustainable Cities in the Developing World. Ashgate.
• Dimitrovska Andrews, K. & Butina Watson, G. (2002). Urban design in a free market economy: the case of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Urban Design International, 6 (3-4).

Areas of expertise

Research and consultancy expertise in urban regeneration; place making; community development; healthy cities; place-identity; Expert adviser on sustainable development; SUE expert; Culture and cities; heritage and urban design.

Academician and Academy of Urbanism Regional Co-ordinator;

Urban Design Group, Chair- Book Awards Scheme;

Jury panel member : Infrastructure Commission, CAMCOX ( Cambridge to Oxford growth corridor);

Editorial Board Member; Journal of Urban Design; Town Planning Review; Urban Design International; International Journal of Sustainable Urban Development; Urbani IZZIV; Regular book reviews for Routlege/Taylor and Francis.

Research Grants Reviews:ESRC; AHRC; EPSRC; Slovene Research Academy of Science.

Recognised as SUE (Sustainable Urban Environments ) expert; awarded a number of awards for innovative research projects : CABE-Geographical Association; CLG-UrbanBUZZ; Partnership Award for teachning innovation).  

Membership of professional bodies

Member of the ICCC (International Council for Caring Communities); Urban Design Group; Academy of Urbanism.

Expert panel member -ESRC- Sustainable Cities grants; Jury member- Infrastructure Commission -CAMkOX.

RTPI Partnership Board (OBU) member;

Chair of the QAA  Planning subject benchmarking and Quality Assurance (2016)-

Oxford Inspires bid- Expert member; Expert member -SUE (Sustainable  Urban Environments);

Jury panel on several UK and International urban design, Architecture and Planning competitions.

External Examiner at Liverpool John Moores; Reading; and UCL (all at postgraduate levels)

Consultancy

A large portfolio of UK and international consultancies including: Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Peru,Thailand, Vietnam, Qatar, Malaysia. Projects include  housing regeneration; urban regeneration; public open space design; community engagement; urban growth management; new towns development and evaluation; healthy cities; open space evaluation.

Concultancy projects for UK government  (DoE; ODPM; DCLG) and Local Authorities ( West Dorset District Council: Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils; Cherwell District Council; Nottingham City Council; Bolsover District Council). 

 

Conferences

Recent conferences:

AESOP - Panelist for Urban Design Education (Lisbon-2017);

UDG - Urban Design Education (London-2018);

Keynote speaker at a joint Oxford Brookes/Harvard Graduate School of Design conference on disaster management (Boston- 2016);

Keynote speaker at Vice- Chancellor's , Nottinghal Trent University, Annual Lecture on Community Developemnt (2017);

Keynote speaker at New Towns Conference, Porto, (2016);

Conference convenor- Planning Research Conference, OBU, 2016); Conference convenor (OBU and Urban Design Group0 on Place Making and Urban Design (2015)

 

Other experience

Trustee- Oxford Preservation Trust (2001-2011);

Trustee ARTPOINT(2002-2006)

Member of various jury panels for UK and International projects.

Further information

Former Chair of Oxford Brookes University Research Degree Committee (2007-2017) and HESS Sub-Committee.

Former Head of the Department of Planning, OBU, 2001-2015.

Former Co-Chair, Joint Centre for Urban Design, 1991-2001; Deputy Head of the Department of Planning, OBU , 1997-2001

Extensive research, teaching and consultancy experience in urban design; internationally recognised for work in urban regeneration, community development; evaluation of national plans; sustainable development; place-making.

Expert adviser to UK and international research councils and governments. Various awards for research and creativity in teachning methods. 

SUE- Sustainable Urban Development expert. Recognised by the Planning peer community and the Planning Magazine  as one of 50 UK most influential women in Planning ( in education).

Press, publicity and reviews

Various exhibitions on archirectural and urban design  themes- RIBA (London), MAO (Oxford), Seville, Bangkok, Bilbao, Ljubljana.

Various media interviews for BBC Oxford ; TV Ljubljana, Slovenia; Radio 4 Australia Talks Back; BBC World Wide Service.

Various professional journals interviews and reviews.

Other publicity

Exhibitions on Joze Plecnik: Architecture and the City- shown in UK, Slovenia and Spain.

Sustaibale Cities - British Council- toured various countries.

Exhibitions linked to public consulatation projects in Oxford, Bridport, London.

House of Lords/Oxford Brookes Exhibition- People Places