Better Bedford Street Belfast-Design Workshop-Strategic Design Group

Description

On behalf of the Northern Ireland Strategic Design Group (SDG), a joint advocacy and placemaking steering group established by DfI and the DfC Ministerial Advisory Group, Dr Golden was invited to co-organise and lead an on-street public design workshop on Bedford Street, Belfast as part of a pilot public space and urban stewardship project in Summer-Autumn 2018.

Dr Golden led the public workshop, applying his expertise in place evaluation and public engagement, to stimulate discussion around how best to promote and test proposals along Bedford Street, Belfast that aim to address car parking and under-utilised public/private spaces for more healthy, sustainable uses including cycle-lanes, seating and play areas, and integrate art and lighting proposals. for streets, pedestrian walkways, and lesser used plazas areas. Dr Golden led discussions and the mapping of emerging ideas and proposals with a wide range of participants from accessibility groups, local universities, cycling enthusiasts, Belfast City Council, and the general public. Methods employed included sketching designs and producing consultation street maps, including an 'ideas wall' that contributed directly to the selection, and implementation of shortlisted proposals over a 3-month pilot period in Autumn 2019.

The Bedford Street Pilot aimed to reduce the proportion of the street given over to cars and improve provision for pedestrians; test how collaborative working with project partners inside and outside of government including DfC and Belfast City Council, RSUA, ICE, PLACE, Linen Quarter BID, IMTAC and the local universities, can result in better places for everyone; and, use the learning to help inform future placemaking projects. The project also presented a unique opportunity to link many of DfI’s areas of responsibility and to collaborate within the Department on placemaking issues.The design event, and outcomes, documented in video and photographs and survey feedback also featured in DFI's 2020 publication "Learning from a Collaborative Placemaking Project: Better Bedford Street", pp 23-24, with recommendations to inform future urban placemaking projects in Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Period	17 Aug 2018
Event type	Other
Location	Belfast, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National