Author Archives: openspaceeditor

Prof. Simon Bell Presents at International Conference on Integrated Forest Management

Prof. Simon Bell participated in the international conference “Integrated Forest Management for Environmental, Social, and Economic Balance,” held in Riga, Latvia, on 18–19 September 2025.

The event was organised by Rīgas Meži (Riga Forests), the organisation responsible for managing over 65,000 hectares of forest owned by the City of Riga since the Middle Ages.

Prof. Bell delivered a presentation entitled “How to Plan and Manage Forests to Maintain Aesthetic, Recreational, Health and Wellbeing Values.” His talk addressed the need to integrate cultural and social dimensions into forest planning and management, ensuring that these landscapes continue to deliver benefits for both people and the environment.

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Prof. Simon Bell Contributes to WHO Working Group on Drowning Prevention

Prof Simon Bell has been invited to join a working group set up by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide recommendations on the prevention of drowning, one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

While there are many aspects to consider, the planning and design of water areas in landscapes to make them accessible while maintaining safety is an important task for landscape architects. Following his work on BlueHealth, Prof. Bell joins the group as an expert in designing waterfront environments.

Activities in the Joint Lab of Healthy Space

In July 2025, Prof. Simon Bell and Iain Scott visited the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), where they co-taught a summer school attended by a diverse group of students. They also participated in a research symposium on Healthy Design.

Research Symposium on Healthy Design

Work is underway to complete the Chinese translation of the Urban Blue Spaces book and to develop a proposal for a major international conference, OpenSpace:HealthySpace, planned for October 2026. The event will be co-organised with OPENspace to mark 25 years since OPENspace was founded.

Preparations are also progressing for the launch of the International Journal of Healthy Space, expected by the end of 2025. The inaugural issue will feature editorial contributions from Prof. Simon Bell, Chief Editor, and Ziwen Sun, Executive Editor.

BIT visit 2025

Prof. Simon Bell takes on the role of Director of the IFLA Working Programme on Urban Health and Well-being

In time for the 2025 IFLA World Congress held in Nantes, France in September, 19 new Working Programmes were set up representing  a wide range of the many issues landscape architects face. This ambitious initiative seeks to unite the expertise of IFLA members to confront global challenges and elevate the profession’s impact on an international scale.

Working Programme 17 covers Urban Health and Well-being. It has a director (Prof Simon Bell), a co-director (Dr Gayle Souter-Brown) and several working members from around the world, representing academia and practice. A work programme and terms of reference have been prepared for approval by the IFLA Executive Committee.

IFLA Working Programmes

Welcome Prof. Jenny Roe to Edinburgh College of Art as the Visiting Professor

We are delighted to announce that Professor Jenny Roe has joined the Edinburgh College of Art as the Visiting Professor. Jenny was a Honorary Research Fellow in the OPENspace Research Centre previously.

“I’m thrilled that ECA has appointed me as a Visiting Professorship almost 20 years after I started my PhD in Edinburgh. Some of the most innovative research of my career to date has been with colleagues from the Universities of Edinburgh and Heriot Watt, and I’m very much looking forward to new research collaborations with old and new colleagues alike.”, Jenny shared.

Prof. Catharine Ward Thompson pressented at the 4th World conference on Forests and Parks for Public Health

Professor Catharine Ward Thompson gave the opening Keynote presentation at the 4th World conference on Forests and Parks for Public Health in Luxembourg on 21st May 2025. Her paper, entitled Ecological Public Health: the future of Salutogenic Landscapes, was presented to an international audience of academics and policy-makers/ practitioners from 34 different countries.

Join Prof. Simon Bell’s seminar in the III Global Summit of Science, Nature and Health

Join OPENspace Research Centre co-director Professor Simon Bell in the III Global Summit of Science, Nature and Health where he will discuss with Dr Keeren Sundara Rajoo (Malaysia) , Kirsten McEwan (United Kingdom) and Chia-Pin (Simon) Yu (Taiwan) about the topic of Recent Advances in Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy Research. The Summit runs from 9-10 April and the seminar will be held on 9th April, 12pm London time.

More Information and registration: III Global Summit of Science, Nature & Health | April 9-10 2025

We regret to announce the death of Professor Peter Aspinall in 2024

Professor Peter Aspinall

We regret to announce the death of Peter Aspinall in 2024. Peter was latterly Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Emeritus Professor of Environmental Studies at Heriot-Watt University. With expertise in environmental psychology and visual science, he worked in the Schools of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art for a number of years, becoming ECA Director of Research in 1997 before moving to Heriot-Watt University in 2000.  Peter continued to work actively for many years with the two research groups he co-founded: OPENspace Research Centre (with Professors Catharine Ward Thompson and Simon Bell), focusing on inclusive access outdoors, health and the environment; and VisionCentre3 (with Professor Bal Dhillon), focusing on vision and quality of life, based in the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian.

Peter is remembered for his expertise and dedication to innovative research of the highest integrity as well as his kind and inspiring mentorship of a great many staff and students in their research careers.

First Annual Report of the Joint Lab of Healthy Space between the University of Edinburgh and the Beijing Institute of Technology

The first Annual Report of the Joint Lab of Healthy Space between the University of Edinburgh and the Beijing Institute of Technology has been published. It highlights the main activities and achievements of 2024 and presents the plans for the coming year.

> Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Plan (55.8MB)