Category Archives: Knowledge Exchange

Launch of The International Journal of Healthy Space: Establishing a Global Platform for Research in Healthy Environmental Design

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

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, 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.

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, 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.

Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space: Exhibition of student research and design work

From 9-13 February, 2026 the Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space a collaborative project 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, held an exhibition of student research and design work at Matthew Gallery in Edinburgh.

The exhibition featured 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 focused on various types of green and blue spaces and their health and wellbeing potential.

The University of Edinburgh and Beijing Institute of Technology Joint Laboratory of Healthy Space Exhibition launch and Seminar

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 9^th February 2026, 12pm

Location: Matthew gallery, Minto House, Chamber Street (In-Person only)

OPENspace Seminar

Date and Time: Monday 9^th February 2026, 1pm-2pm

Speaker: Dr Mo Han

Location: Seminar Room 4, Minto House

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 Urban Blue Spaces Chinese translation was officially launched at the Beijing Institute of Technology

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.

ECA, ESALA and OPENspace welcomes the delegation from the Harbin Institute of Technology

A delegation from the Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) – Professor Yang Yu, Associate professor Qi Guo and two PhD students Keli Wang and Yuxin Huang – visited ECA, ESALA and OPENspace on the 26 and 27 of November. They toured the architecture and landscape architecture studios with Iain Scott and Simon Bell, met ESALA staff to discuss cooperation and joined a research seminar with landscape architecture PhD students. Simon Bell has been teaching at HIT since 2015 and has built strong connections with the staff and students.

Making websites dementia-friendly. Join the discussion!

The second phase of our work on Memory-Friendly Neighbourhoods wraps up in January 2017 with an event at the Scottish Universities Insight Institute.

In this phase of Memory-Friendly Neighbourhoods (MFN), we’ve been focusing on the ‘virtual neighbourhood’, looking at how people living with dementia use and navigate online environments.

The programme is based on our own experiences of setting up the MFN website and the lack of guidance we have found on internet accessibility for people living with dementia.

We’ve been using a survey, together with a ‘town hall meeting’ approach, to engaging participants; from people who commission, design, build and maintain websites, to people whose lives are affected by dementia.

Please join us at our final meeting where we’ll be discussing what we’ve found out and co-designing outputs from the project, including ideas for next steps and recommendations for policy and practice.

The event takes place at the Scottish Universities Insight Institute, a short walk from Queen Street Station in central Glasgow, on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

The meeting will last from 10am until noon and you are welcome to stay for lunch afterwards.

Places are FREE but limited, so please book through Eventbrite.

Memory-Friendly Neighbourhoods is a knowledge exchange programme with the University of Stirling exploring how local communities can support people with dementia. It is funded by the Scottish Universities Insight Institute and partnered by Age Scotland, East Dunbartonshire Council, and Life Changes Trust.

Is it Nice Outside? Dementia and the natural environment

Here at OPENspace, we’re delighted to see the publication of the latest Natural England report, Is it nice outside? New research into dementia and the natural environment.

The result of a collaborative project with Dementia Adventure, the Mental Health Foundation and Innovations in Dementia, the report reflects the views of 54 people living with dementia and over 170 carers.

Image of older people walking outdoors

Having explored older people’s attitudes towards getting out and about in a number of recent projects (including Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors), we see many of the same thoughts and needs articulated by people with dementia in the report, including…

their drive to be physically and socially active outdoors;
the importance, to them, of informal walking outside;
their appreciation and need for a quality environment – one with accessible signage, walkways on even ground, and facilities such as toilets, cafes and places to sit and relax.

We are pleased to see that the report bears out the popularity of city parks and public gardens and that “several people with dementia talked passionately about the role their local park played in providing them with somewhere to go, and as somewhere to enjoy watching other people taking part in activities”.

OPENspace and Natural England

As a member of the Outdoors for All Strategic Research Group, Catharine Ward Thompson commented on the new report prior to publication.

OPENspace and Natural England have worked together many times over the years, most recently on a project looking at the importance of ‘wild adventure space’ for young people.

The launch of Is it Nice Outside? comes in the same week that we announce funding for the second phase of Memory-Friendly Neighbourhoods, our knowledge exchange programme with dementia researchers at the University of Stirling.

Funded by the Scottish Universities Insights Institute, this project explores how local communities can support people with dementia, meeting the urgent need for insights to guide the development of environments for ageing-in-place and lifelong social inclusion.

Download the report, Is it nice outside? New research into dementia and the natural environment, from the Natural England website

Find out more about Memory-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Find out more about Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors

Catharine Ward Thompson appointed Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter Medical School

Our Director, Catharine Ward Thompson, has been appointed an Honorary Professor at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH).

Launched in May 2011, and led by Professor Lora Fleming, the Centre is part of the University of Exeter Medical School.

ECEHH research falls into two major areas: emerging threats to health and wellbeing posed by the environment; and the health and wellbeing benefits the natural environment can provide.

Catharine’s three-year appointment marks a strengthening of links between OPENspace and ECEHH which builds on previous knowledge exchange activities, such as the Blue Mind Summit, Sara Warber’s study visit to Edinburgh, and the two-day meeting Fostering Sustainable Environments for Improving Future Health and Wellbeing.

Visit the European Centre for Environment and Human Health website

Catharine at a conference dinner

Catharine in Macedonia for WHO Task Force meeting

Greetings from Skopje in Macedonia where Catharine is presenting evidence on urban green spaces and health to the World Health Organization European Environment and Health Task Force (EHTF).

The Task Force is the leading international body for implementation and monitoring of the European Environment and Health Process, and we welcome the emphasis it is placing on the relationship between the quality of our urban outdoor spaces and people’s health and wellbeing.

We are delighted to have been invited to talk about our research to the group, framing the issue in the wider context of topics such as land use, urban planning, urban adaptation to climate change and demographic changes.

We are also pleased that the presentation is being followed by a discussion on the formulation of policy goals and political commitments in this area.

Keep an eye on the EHTF website for outcomes from the meeting and details of the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in 2017.

OPENspace at EUROCITIES 2015

We’re at the EUROCITIES 2015 conference in Copenhagen / Malmo, where Catharine Ward Thompson is bringing a focus on the pedestrian environment to a roundtable on urban mobility.

It’s a pleasure to be in such esteemed company. Sitting to Catharine’s right (in the blue scarf) is Hella Dunger-Loeper, Permanent secretary and State of Berlin Delegate to the Federation and former Permanent Secretary for Building and Housing at Berlin’s Senate Department for Urban Development… Catharine Ward Thompson speaking at the Eurocities conference

… and in this photograph, taken after the roundtable, she is pictured with panellist Klaus Bondam, Director of the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and former Chair of the EUROCITIES Mobility Forum…

Máire Cox also attends the conference to promote OPENspace research to policymakers within 130 of Europe’s largest cities.

And finally… we’re delighted to share the news that the City of Edinburgh won a EUROCITIES award at the conference for community participation in making the city more attractive and sustainable.

More about EUROCITIES 2015, the focus of which was ‘sustainable growth and quality of life’