The TWIN2EXPAND project, which examines how evidence-based approaches to urban design and planning (EBDP) can influence real-world decision-making to support socially and environmentally sustainable urban development, is a three-year initiative. It involves a consortium that includes the University of Cyprus, UCL Bartlett, Chalmers University of Technology, and Turin Polytechnic. Funded by EU Horizon and UKRI, the project aims to disseminate EBDP methods and encourage their adoption beyond academia.

TWIN2EXPAND hosts annual Working Group Studios (WGS) in Gothenburg (Chalmers) and London (UCL). The London WGS (April 2024) gathered academics, practitioners, and government officials to share their experiences and perspectives on EBDP. Building on the previous year’s success, the 2024 WGS tried to bridge the gap between academic research and practice, defining evidence, and exploring methods and approaches to inform the EBDP process.

The recent Working Group Studio on Research Impact, held in London, concluded with a series of compelling presentations and thought-provoking discussions. The event covered various topics, including technological challenges for evidence-based design and planning, urban analytics interfaces for non-expert stakeholders, deriving knowledge from images, defining what constitutes evidence, addressing complexity in decision-making, and presenting evidence to stakeholders effectively. A key question that emerged was whether a framework is needed to coordinate different types of evidence.

Sessions Highlights:

– Crossing Academia and Practice – Challenges of Applicable Technology: This session discussed translating academic developments into practical planning technology through evidence-based approaches.

– EBDP – What Constitutes Evidence? Experts in urban analytics and planning reflected on what constitutes evidence and potential sources and methods to enhance design and planning.

– EBDP Through Education: Prominent thinkers from planning pedagogy institutions discussed promoting evidence-based planning through educational strategies.

– EBDP in Practice: Leading practitioners shared the latest technological developments and projects, focusing on in-house technology development and the affordability of these solutions.