Deadline for entries: 12th August 2022
Following the NLA 2020 report ‘Knowledge Networks: London and the Ox-Cam Arc’, this upcoming research will provide an update on a booming sector that is driving the evolution of innovation district models across London, the Golden Triangle and the UK towards inclusive places for innovation.
With a nationwide investment of over £29.4 billion from the tech sector and more than 500,000 sq ft of demand for life sciences real estate in London, there is no doubt that the life sciences, tech companies and creative industries are changing the geography of the knowledge economy in London. But how can these places be true leaders of a green and inclusive economy?
The report will delve into how innovation districts support London’s global role as a knowledge hub, while creating the best opportunities for upskilling and supporting inclusive growth at a local level.
The Golden Triangle includes the strongest biosciences cluster in Europe and contains the greatest concentration of top universities in the world as well as clusters of global tech companies. What is the role of the Golden Triangle in the post-COVID economic recovery of the UK as a global exporter of innovation and employment creator? How can funding across and outside the golden triangle increase productivity and regional growth as part of the levelling up agenda?
Defining the role of innovation districts across London, the Golden Triangle and within the wider UK context, the report will unpack the different existing models across the country and the set of the planning tools and design principles that are needed to enable inclusive and sustainable growth.
How are today’s innovation district models encouraging upskilling and supporting opportunities to level up? Are the demands similar between London and the Southeast, and how can we strike an even balance and cross-collaboration? How can innovation districts champion diversity, sustainability and inclusivity? How can local authorities, businesses and institutions embrace a design-led approach that bonds place and innovation? What spatial principles can deliver a whole-place long-term strategy for an innovation district? And finally, what role do innovation districts play in the long-term recovery and resilience of London?
Drawing from case studies in the capital and across the UK, the report will examine the role of design, placemaking and public spaces in the planning, delivery and management of innovation districts.
Eligible projects fall into one of the following categories:
· Masterplans and Area Strategies
Masterplan and area strategies planning for sustainability, inclusivity and affordability
(including workspaces and housing)
· Placemaking
Placemaking that supports collaboration and socialising in public spaces in-between buildings and connectivity between a district and surrounding neighbourhoods
· Buildings
Best practice in building design, showcasing inclusive use of ground floor levels, permeability, sustainability and affordability