Placemaking with Young Adults Festival of Futures Satellite Event

The Placemaking with Young Adults Festival of Futures Satellite Event took place on March 7, 2024, in the LICA building at Lancaster University, with the support of the research team (Dr Maryam Ghorbankarimi, Dr Ezgi Bay Sahin, Shunning Feng, and Lancaster City Council officers). This event was a component of a larger national design-led research exhibition called “The future is a work in progress.”

The workshop aimed to gather a diverse range of expertise and perspectives, inviting 40 individuals from various disciplines and backgrounds. Of these participants, 16 were young adults who had previously taken part in placemaking workshops, while the remaining 24 represented key organisations. This diverse group was assembled to gain a comprehensive understanding of the achievements and impact of our pilot project.

The purpose of the event was twofold: to commemorate our collective accomplishments and to foster the development of sustainable policies that would lead to significant improvements for the Lancaster District. The event commenced with a warm welcome in the foyer of the LICA building at Lancaster University. Following this, a brief introduction was given, outlining the flow of the event, the placemaking framework, and a short report.

The first activity organised was a Short Film Festival, which showcased four short videos. These included the Lancaster City Council Local Plan short film, the I-Connect: Co-designing Sustainable Communities short film, a segment titled “Chapter 6: Engaging Us in the Process” from the RTPI Documentary “Planning for Tomorrow’s Environment” produced by Content with Purpose, and a pre-launch of the “Placemaking with Young Adults” short film, filmed and produced by Dr Maryam Ghorbankarimi.

After the film screenings, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch and had the opportunity to participate in a guided Placemaking Toured Walk around Lancaster University.

The objectives of this event were as follows:
1) To generate ecosystems of collaboration for the co-development of local policies that incorporate sustainable placemaking and are informed by the priorities of young people.
2) To celebrate the achievements thus far and discuss future possibilities.
3) To engage in the upcoming Lancaster Local Plan Review.
4) To gather ideas for future funding bids that focus on placemaking policies that embrace the aspirations, sustainable principles, and ways of living of young people.

Find out more here