News
BuildWell Network Workshops in Edinburgh and York
Over the past two months, the BuildWell Network has hosted its first two workshops at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and the University of York, bringing together colleagues from housing, planning, public health, design, academia, local government, and community organisations.
The workshops were created as an opportunity for people working across different sectors to come together and have open conversations about housing, health, wellbeing, sustainability, and the realities of delivery in practice.
The first workshop took place at the National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University and focused on introducing the BuildWell Network, exploring shared interests across sectors, and creating space for discussion around healthy and sustainable neighbourhoods. Through a series of facilitated table discussions, participants reflected on housing quality, planning and development challenges, inequalities in health outcomes, nature-based approaches, and the importance of community participation in shaping local environments.
One of the most valuable aspects of the Edinburgh event was the range of perspectives in the room. Researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community representatives were able to discuss both shared ambitions and the practical challenges involved in delivering healthier places.
The second workshop, held at the University of York, built on many of these conversations while welcoming new participants from across the UK. Discussions focused particularly on collaboration between sectors, the relationship between policy and practice, and the gap that can sometimes emerge between ambitions for healthy places and the realities of implementation.
Throughout the day, participants explored how housing, planning, public health, and design can work more effectively together, and reflected on the importance of long-term thinking, lived experience, and cross-sector collaboration in creating sustainable neighbourhoods.
The York workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to develop new connections, share examples from practice, and identify opportunities for future collaboration through the BuildWell Network.
Across both workshops, there was a strong sense of enthusiasm for continuing these conversations and building stronger links between research, policy, and practice. Participants consistently highlighted the need for more collaborative spaces where different sectors can openly discuss challenges, share learning, and work towards healthier and more sustainable places.
We would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions in Edinburgh and York. The insights, conversations, and connections developed through these workshops will play an important role in shaping the next stage of the BuildWell Network.
For more information about the network and future activities, please follow the BuildWell Network website and LinkedIn page.
BuildWell is a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project hosted by Heriot-Watt University