Gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019

This year there was an opportunity for Prof Lorraine Farrelly to work with the School of Biological Science, Dr Alastair Culham and his PhD student Tomos Jones. Their research is on invasive plant species and their impact on gardens in the British Isles.

^{(Photo Credit: Lorraine Pearce)}

“I worked with them to design an exhibition stand for the Chelsea flower show . The design concept of the stand was to reflect invasive species , it is an interpretation of the Gunnera or Giant Rhubarb plant. The stand is made from birch faced plywood that has been cut into pieces which were slotted together on site. The structure was made by timber craft specialists Xylotek, who have worked with us to build our Urban Room structure on campus. Beneath the structure are range of examples of invasive plants. The interpretative boards describing the research were designed by BA Graphic Communication students as part of their course. The design and project was selected for the Chelsea Flower Show 2019, and also was awarded a gold medal at the show.This project represents the possibilities of inter and cross disciplinary working with staff and students across the University.”

Prof Lorraine Farrelly

^{(Photo Credit: Lorraine Pearce)}

‘Reconversion of industrial areas in the framework of regional policy’-European Parliament, Brussels, 26/02/2019

An ecological and social approach to converting old-style industries in urban areas may well contribute to a new eco and social friendly development path for the European Union. This prospect was a prominent conclusion of the workshop on ‘Reconversion of industrial areas in the framework of regional policy‘, organised by the Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) on 26 February 2019 at the European Parliament (EP), and proposed by Rosa D’Amato (EFDD, Italy), member of the EP Committee on Regional Development (REGI). Fifteen experts from twelve EU Member States, including five Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), representatives of other European institutions, universities and local authorities, attended to discuss the topic from various angles, highlighting the challenges and proposing solutions based on policy strategies, legislative proposals and specific case studies.

Lorraine Farrelly presented to the workshop: Policy perspective: institutional strategies
The presentation can be found here:

BRITAIN’S HOUSING CRISIS DESIGNING FUTURE HOMES & CITIES

Britain’s housing system is broken. Sky-high house prices mean buying a home is just a dream for many people, yet it is still considered an essential pursuit. Tenants are pushed into poverty or forced to move by rent rises, pulling families and communities apart. Young people see their life options constrained in a string of shared flats, or stuck at home with their parents. So what’s the solution? In this lecture, architect Professor Flora Samuel will deliver her manifesto for a better housing future. She will show how designing better homes and cities is crucial to resolving the current crisis. Intelligent design of towns and cities can improve people’s health and happiness. Social homes must be built in growing numbers that are not only affordable, but enviable. The aim must be to improve the physical environment for the next generation, to help them tackle a growing list of social, political and economic challenges. Flora Samuel is Professor of Architecture in the Built Environment at the University of Reading, and a Co-Investigator at the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), for which she leads the ‘Place’ theme.