Dr Scott Ogletree represented OPENspace at the Earth Research & Impact Forum on 7th May, which focused on Sustainable Cities as one of the University of Edinburgh’s strategic priority areas.
The Forum took the form of an informal, workshop-style session, bringing colleagues together to share ideas, build new connections, and contribute to early discussions around a potential framework for Sustainable Cities research at Edinburgh.
The session began with a short introduction to the Edinburgh Earth Initiative and its emerging approach to the Sustainable Cities Challenge Area. OPENspace was highlighted as one example of bringing researchers together across disciplines. Participants then took part in a series of discussions structured around three transdisciplinary sub-themes, informed by a mapping exercise of existing research activity across the University. The workshop concluded with a wider discussion exploring future opportunities, priorities, and directions for collaborative research.
The three discussion themes were:
· Urban life, health and inclusion
· Urban risk, adaptation and equitable resilience
· Urban data, design and democracy of urban systems
The event provided a valuable opportunity to contribute OPENspace perspectives on urban environments, health, inclusion, and resilience, while strengthening connections with colleagues working across related areas of Sustainable Cities research.
OPENspace Research Associate, Dr Charlotte Wendelboe-Nelson, recently participated in an online Early Career Researcher (ECR) Impact Roundtable hosted by the PRN Impact Interest Group on 29 April 2026.
The event brought together four ECRs to share and reflect on their individual impact journeys, exploring how they have approached research impact within their PhD studies or recent research projects. Discussions focused on the different strategies and activities researchers have used to support impact, what had worked well in practice, the challenges encountered along the way, and what they might approach differently in hindsight.
During the session, Dr Wendelboe-Nelson spoke about her work on the GroundsWell project and highlighted a Community Researcher Model for engagement and participation in nature-based health interventions.
As part of the roundtable, participants also explored a practical Impact Roadmap as a reflective tool to help structure discussion, identify key learning points, and encourage shared learning across disciplines and research contexts.
The event provided a valuable opportunity for early career researchers to exchange experiences, reflect critically on impact practice, and discuss the realities of embedding impact within academic research.
Dr Wendelboe Nelson’s presentation slides are included below.
OPENspace Honorary Fellow Dr. Caroline Pearce recently shared her research as part of a Foundations LIVE webinar held on 21 April 2026, contributing to a wider discussion on how housing design can better support relationships, belonging and community across different stages of life.
The webinar brought together researchers and practitioners to explore how homes and neighbourhoods can respond to changing needs, with Dr. Pearce presenting work from the Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC) project. Her talk focused on the role of neighbourhood environments and communities in shaping wellbeing, and highlighted the Ageing in Place Standard Tool. This emerging tool aims to support policymakers, designers, third-sector organisations and communities in creating environments that enable people to remain connected and supported as they age.
The Foundations LIVE session, funded by the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, reflects growing national interest in innovative housing approaches. Other speakers included Savannah Fishel from the Innovation Unit, who shared her Churchill Fellowship work on intergenerational communal housing.
OPENspace Co-Director, Prof. Simon Bell, was invited to speak at the ‘Connecting through Nature’ interdisciplinary gardening and wellbeing workshop for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) at the University of Manchester on 11th March.
The workshop, which focused on sustainable gardening and landscape-wellbeing design, explored the relationships between landscape, health, and sustainable urban environments.
Prof. Bell’s lecture, “Connecting Through Nature: Urban Allotment Gardening and Wellbeing in Europe”, drew on insights from the edited volume Urban Allotment Gardens in Europe. The session explored the historical evolution, governance, and socio-ecological significance of urban allotment and community gardens across European cities.
Through comparative case studies, Prof. Bell highlighted how allotments contribute to food security, biodiversity, social cohesion, and cultural identity, while also revealing tensions around land tenure, planning policy, and gentrification.
Alongside the lecture, participants took part in a hands-on gardening activity, creating small plant installations using recycled materials. The workshop combined practical making with shared reflection and research-led discussion, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue across planning, geography, and architecture.
Connecting through Nature Workshop – Planting session
On 10 January 2025, the first issue launch of The International Journal of Healthy Space (ISSN：3008-0479) was successfully held at Beijing Institute of Technology. The journal is hosted by the Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space between Beijing Institute of Technology and the University of Edinburgh. The launch marks the formal establishment of an international academic platform dedicated to interdisciplinary exchange in the field of healthy space.
Group photo at the launch ceremony 专家集体合影
The event was attended by leading scholars, industry representatives, editorial board members, school faculty, and students. Among them were Professor Simon Bell at the University of Edinburgh, UK Director of the Joint Laboratory, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal; Professor Yang Jianming at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Associate Editor of the journal; Professor Yao Jian, Associate Dean of School of Design and Arts of BIT; Associate Professor Li Dihua, Associate Dean of the College of Architecture and Landscape of Peking University; Professor Wang Jinping, former Dean of the School of Architecture at Taiyuan University of Technology and Distinguished Professor at Shanxi University; Mr Yang Jin; Chairman of Beijing Zhongwai Construction & Architectural Design Co., Ltd.; and Mr Zheng Jinbiao, Chairman of Hualin Wells Publishing Group. The event was chaired by Associate Professor Sun Ziwen, Associate Director of the Office of International Affairs at BIT, China Director of the Joint Laboratory, and Managing Editor of the journal.
Founding Vision: Promoting Interdisciplinary Dialogue and Collaboration
Simon Bell speech
Professor Simon Bell outlined the journal’s founding vision. He emphasised that the core objective of the journal is to encourage and disseminate rigorous research that provides clear evidence of the positive impact of design on human health. He expressed his hope that the journal would serve as a bridge connecting scholars from diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds, working collaboratively to explore effective pathways through which spatial design can enhance public health and well-being.
Academic and Industry Perspectives: Emphasising Research Quality and Talent Development
During the subsequent guest speeches, several experts shared insights from both academic and professional perspectives.
Li Dihua Speech
Li Dihua, drawing on his experience as Executive Editor-in-Chief of the journal Landscape Architecture Frontiers and his research background, elaborated on the characteristics of high-quality research. He noted that publishable studies should clearly define specific issues related to healthy space and apply appropriate methodologies to provide new evidence or solutions. He further highlighted the importance of fieldwork and its practical implications for design practice.
Yang Jin speech
From an industry standpoint, Yang Jin discussed the value of academic journals to professional practice. He observed that in the current context of innovation and transformation, in-depth and rigorous research provides an important benchmark for identifying outstanding design talent and innovative ideas. He expressed his expectation that the journal would foster meaningful dialogue between academia and industry, enabling more research-driven design innovations to emerge and be implemented.
Wang Jinping speech
Wang Jinping, reflecting on his decades-long systematic research on traditional architecture in Shanxi Province, emphasised the importance of sustained and focused scholarly commitment. He noted that research into healthy spaces likewise requires long-term dedication and “deep cultivation,” and he hoped that the journal would support and showcase academic achievements grounded in extensive investigation and thoughtful reflection.
On behalf of the School of Design and Arts of BIT, Yao Jian delivered closing remarks, affirming the school’s full support for the development of this international collaborative journal. He expressed confidence that it would enhance the discipline’s global influence in the field of healthy design and provide faculty and students with access to cutting-edge academic resources.
Unveiling of the First Issue: A Platform Sets Sail
Simon Bell, together with M Zheng Jinbiao, Yang Jianming, and Sun Ziwen, officially unveiled the first issue of The International Journal of Healthy Space.
The establishment of The International Journal of Healthy Space represents another significant achievement in the deepening collaboration between the Beijing Institute of Technology and the University of Edinburgh in the field of healthy design. The journal will provide professional support for researchers worldwide to share cutting-edge findings and promote knowledge innovation, contributing to the advancement of research and practice in healthy living environments.
Join us at the exhibition launch of the Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space student research and design work followed by a seminar from Dr Mo Han
From 9-13 February, 2026 an exhibition will be held in the Matthew Gallery in Minto House, Chambers Steet, showcasing three different sets of work associated with the Joint Lab of Healthy Space established between the School of Design and Art at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and OPENspace Research Centre and Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at ECA. This joint lab was set up in early 2023 and collaboration has included summer schools, doctoral seminars and joint publications.
This exhibition features results from the 2024 summer school in BIT, where designs were intended to improve a blue space in Beijing, outputs from the MArch programme at ESALA which feature the design of edge structures along blue spaces, results of the Landscape and Wellbeing programme course on “Landscape design for health and wellbeing” featuring the Union Canal in Edinburgh and doctoral research in landscape architecture which focuses on various types of green and blue spaces and their health and wellbeing potential.
The curators of the exhibition are Professor Simon Bell, co-director of OPENspace, Iain Scott, Senior Lecturer responsible for the MArch course which is showcased, and Dr Mo Han, Associate Professor of BIT and organiser of the summer schools.
Following the opening, Dr Han will present some of her work at an OPENspace seminar, to take place in Seminar Room 4 at Minto House.
Exhibition launch details
Date and Time: Monday 9th February 2026, 12pm
Location: Matthew gallery, Minto House, Chamber Street (In-Person only)
To Register to view the Seminar online please sign up for an online admission ticket through the exhibition event and a Seminar link will be sent to you.
Title: Integrated Strategies for Rural Landscape Planning and Sustainable Development based on Landscape Character Assessment and Cultural Ecosystem Service.
China is currently facing a comprehensive undertaking of rural revitalization. In order to continue the Chinese agricultural civilization and explore the profound rural civilization of our country, it is necessary to base on the historical heritage of rural civilization and the deep value of rural landscapes, and promote the organic unity of rural culture with agricultural economy, ecological environment, and social value. This study is based on the theory of Landscape Character Assessment, deeply analyzes the essence of rural landscape features in China and their Landscape Capacity in response to transformation, and incorporates artificial intelligence technology to carry out scientific and precise pre-planning for rural development, aiming to organically integrate the protection of rural historical value with the development of rural ecological civilization.
Speaker Bio:
Mo Han is an Associate Director of BIT-UoE Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space and Associate Professor at the School of Design and Arts at the Beijing Institute of Technology.
The inauguralPeter Aspinall Memorial Lecture was held on 26th November 2025, marking an opportunity to reflect on the work and legacy of Professor Peter Aspinall and his pioneering contribution to restorative environment research.
The lecture was delivered by Professor Jenny Roe, Mary Irene DeShong Professor of Design & Health and Director of the Centre for Design & Health at the University of Virginia. A former PhD student and long-standing collaborator of Professor Aspinall, Professor Roe explored his influence through the lens of their shared research and mentorship.
Drawing on empirical work developed with multidisciplinary teams at the Universities of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and other UK institutions, Professor Roe highlighted the new paradigms they helped establish and the lasting global impact of this research on the field of environmental psychology.
The recording of the lecture is now available to watch below.
Professor Simon Bell visited the Beijing Institute of Technology Joint Lab of Healthy Space in early January. One of the main activities was the launch of the Chinese translation of the book Urban Blue Spaces, originally published in 2022.
An audience of professors and students attended and the book was presented by Dr Mo Han, the translation editor who not only explained the book but also illustrated how its messages could be and already are being applied in research at BIT and in China.
The launch was followed by a panel discussion and presentations of research by BIT PhD students who are working on aspects of blue spaces.
Public Health Scotland hosted the Green Health Learning Network (GHLN) event on Tuesday 16th December, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and community organisations to explore the theme of Blue Health: Research, Practice and Innovative Partnerships.
We’re pleased to share that Prof Simon Bell, Co-Director of OPENspace, spoke at the session, offering insights from ongoing research into the value and potential of blue spaces.
The online session will highlight leading academic research on the wide-ranging benefits of blue spaces, alongside real-world examples from community groups using water-based activities to support healthier lives. Strategic leaders will also share emerging opportunities for collaborative partnership working in this area.
The event was for anyone interested in health improvement, community engagement, or environmental wellbeing.
If you would like to view the event recording and presentation slides, you can request access to the GHLN MS Teams channel below:
Join us as OPENspace honours the remarkable legacy of Professor Peter Aspinall with the first Peter Aspinall Memorial Lecture, taking place on Wednesday 26 November at 6pm in the West Court lecture theatre, Edinburgh College of Art.
Professor Jenny Roe will deliver the lecture, exploring Peter’s pioneering impact on restorative environment research and its global legacy.
This first memorial lecture will highlight Professor Peter Aspinall’s contribution to the field of restorative environment research as viewed through the empirical research of his former PhD student, Jenny Roe, the inaugural Mary Irene DeShong Professor of Design & Health and Director of the Centre for Design & Health, School of Architecture, University of Virginia, USA.
Professor Roe, whom Peter tutored, mentored, and collaborated with from 2005 onwards, will highlight the new paradigms they developed together, in conjunction with multi-disciplinary teams at the Universities of Edinburgh, Heriot Watt and other UK research institutions. She will reflect on the global impact of this collaborative research and how it has changed the discipline of environmental psychology.
The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception at 7pm.
