about urban cultures :: Urban Cultures

Urban Cultures Limited is a specialist urban and cultural planning and urban design consultancy. The company has worked on a range of projects across the UK, in Europe and in Australia. Most of our work is in the fields of urban regeneration, master planning, urban design and cultural development, and urban and regional economics. Our overall philosophy is to improve the quality of life and environment in towns and cities, and to secure improved competitiveness for urban and city-region economies.

The company was established in 1991, and is based in London and Australia. Four niche specialisms for which we are particularly well known are in preparing area strategies for cultural quarters, developing the evening and night-time economy of cities and towns, the revitalisation of city and town centres and urban districts, and economic development strategies for the cultural industries. However, we also have experience in preparing safety and lighting plans, in the design of public spaces and more generally in planning, urban design and urban regeneration.

Products & Services

Economy: economic development of the creative industries.

Culture: the arts and urban regeneration and city cultural strategies.

Time: developing and managing the evening economy, lighting plans.

Place: city master-planning, urban design of major developments and new settlements.

Creative Milieux: urban cultural quarters and creative industry clusters.

Space: design of the public realm.

Creative Industries: Urban Cultures prepared the UK's first economic development sector strategy for the creative industries in Manchester in 1988. Later projects included major studies for London (1993), West London (1995) and Birmingham (1998), as well as the area strategy for the Sheffield Cultural Industries Quarter in 1997. One aspect in which we have specialised is feasibility studies of arts and creative industry incubators and managed workspaces (North London, Spitalfields, Melbourne, West Sydney).

City Cultural Strategies: Urban Cultures prepared the UK's first holistic city cultural strategy in Manchester in 1991, followed by similar work in Hackney (1992), Bristol (1992), Melbourne (2003) and Parramatta (2005). This approach is central in the under-pinning of cities as creative and cosmopolitan places.

Urban Regeneration: Urban Cultures has prepared a large number of 'arts-led' regeneration strategies for cities such as Glasgow, Belfast, Gateshead and Newcastle, Darling Harbor in Sydney and Canberra. This includes arts production as well as consumption, as well as public art and animation programmes.

The City at Night: Urban Cultures Ltd organised the UK's first '24 Hour City' conference in 1993, in Manchester. This was followed by similar events in Cardiff (1995), Sheffield (1997) and London (1999). Urban Cultures prepared the first city economic development strategies for the evening economy in Hamilton (1993) and Bristol (1994). More recent work has focused on the management and regulation of the night-time city, particularly in relation to licensed premises and anti-social behaviour - for example in Sunderland (1999-2002) and Colchester (2003).

Quarters and Clusters: A noted specialism is the development and management of city cultural quarters and creative industry clusters. Tis work dates from 1991 when Urban Cultures was appointed to prepare the development framework for Temple Bar, Dublin's cultural quarter. Similar studies have been conducted in Manchester MNQ (1994), Sheffield (1996), Belfast (1998-2002), Dundee (2000) and Hobart (2004). Recent projects include the redesign of Perth Cultural Precinct as an urban cultural quarter (2005), Brisbane Southbank as a cultural district and an arts quarter for the Gold Coast.

Space: Urban Cultures was one of the early pioneers of urban design in the UK. As well as design briefs and masterplans, we have also designed new public spaces as part of a wider commitment to the public realm. John Montgomery has recently been commissioned by the Department for Victorian Communities to write a paper on the concept of 'urban sociability'.

Selected list of previous clients:

ACT Arts
Performing arts facilities and cultural precinct development, Canberra
Adelaide City Council
Evening economy strategic development initiative
Strategic lighting plan
Master plan, Rundle Mall, with Hassell
Development and urban design panel, city centre development competitions
Aston City Challenge
Marketing and business plan for a new arts centre
Design and feasibility study for a Black arts centre
Barnsley Metroplolitan Borough Council
Public realm urban design scheme
Town centre boundary markers and signage
(both with John Lyall Architects & Bruce McLean)
Cultural development plan
Public art policy
Arts lottery stage 1 feasibility application
Bath City Council
Advice on liquor licensing and pavement cafes
Birmingham City Council
Sector analysis and development strategy for the music business
Media industries economic analysis and development strategy
Blue Circle Properties Ltd
Development market appraisal South Wales
Negotiating and application for grant funding of development site
Development appraisal new settlement
Cultural development strategy for North West Kent
Urban design advice and development strategy, North West Kent
Urban planning and city development advice, Copenhagen
Bristol City Council
Cultural development plan, with Boyden-Southwood Associates
Evening economy development strategy
British Rail Property Board
Town Centre Enhancement and Revitalisation, Leyton
PR Campaign, Development Proposals for Leyton Yard
Evidence at public inquiry, retail development scheme
Cardiff City Council
Conference organisation and speakers, 24 Hour City Conference 1995
Chapter Arts, Cardiff
Development advice and business plan
Charterhouse Estates Ltd
Property development appraisal/mixed use development scheme
Area appraisal for Liverpool Cultural Industries Quarter
Clerkenwell Community Trust
Area framework and promotion strategy
Colchester Borough Council
Strategy to Tackle All-Night Disorder
Comgrove Properties Ltd
Town centre viability and vitality study, with David Lock Associates
Craftsouth, Adelaide
Feasibility study for a creative industries business incubator
Crystal Peaks Development Company Ltd
Urban design appraisal, with David Lock Associates
Production of evidence for UDP Inquiry, with David Lock Associates
Department of the Taoiseach, Irish Government
Urban revitalisation strategy for the Temple Bar area of Dublin
Derry City Council
Cultural industries and the evening economy - development strategy
Destination Sheffield
Leisure market demand appraisal
John Dickinson Stationery Plc
Site development brief and urban design guide, with Grimley
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
Analysis and development strategy for the creative industries
Dundee City Council and Dundee Partnership
Development strategy, Dundee Cultural Quarter, with EDAW
East Fife District Council
Review of cultural venues and tourism in Dunfermline
Edinburgh City Council
Cultural industries development strategy, with Comedia
Area development and management strategy, Edinburgh New Town, with EDAW
City of Fremantle
Design concept for a public square
West End Image and Identity strategy
Friends of the Storey Institute, Lancaster
Art gallery feasibilty study and business plan
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough
East Gateshead Development Strategy, with EDAW
Glasgow Development Agency and Glasgow City Council
Urban vitality and area management strategy, Merchant City
Cultural investment agency business concept, with EDAW
Greater London Arts Board
The arts in urban planning
The arts and social housing
Formulation of UDP policies for Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE)
Negotiating UDP policies for ACE with individual London boroughs
Greater Manchester Economic Development Council
Analysis and sector strategy for the audio-visual industries
Gulbenkian Foundation with Comedia Consultancy, a national study of public social life and urban livability
Hamilton District Council
Urban design competition for a new public space, judging panel
Hammersmith Safer Cities
Designing out crime study for King Street
Urban design scheme, King's Square, with John Lyall Archiects and Bruce McLean
Haringey Heartlands
Area regeneration framework and masterplan,
Wood Green Cultural Industies Quarter - development programme
(both with Stock Woolstencroft)
Hertfordshire County Council
A Vision of Hertfordshire's Future Economy, with SE Associates
Honeysuckle Development Corporation
Concept for cultural use of former railway workshops
Animation strategy for cultural precinct
Independent Film, Video and Photography Association
Audio visual industries assessment for the North West, with Comedia
Inner City Leisure
Development appraisal and feasibility study for a mixed office, retail, leisure and cultural centre in Brixton.
States of Jersey
Urban design and development briefing
Kirklees Borough Council
Urban public realm design study for Huddersfield, with David Lock Associates
Kingston upon Hull City Council
Master plan for central Hull, with Roger Tym & Partners
Laganside Development Corporation
Area regeneration strategy and master plan, with EDAW
Review of arts policy and cultural development, with Robert Turley Associates
Lanarkshire Development Agency
Evening economy strategy for Hamilton Town Centre
Legal and General Ltd
Urban design context study, with David Lock Associates
Urban design impact study, with David Lock Associates
Lincoln City Council
Evening economy - development advice
Llewellyn Davies Planning
Advice on media industries and development strategy for Royal Docks
London Borough of Brent
Feasibility study of an ethnic cuisine and food production centre, with Comedia
London Borough of Bromley
Advice on how to avoid a dead town centre in the evening
London Borough of Greenwich
A revitalisation strategy for Woolwich town centre
A vision and strategy for 7 miles of Greenwich waterfront, with Comedia
Creative industries development study, with Boyden Southwood
London Borough of Hackney
Strategy for the arts and urban regeneration, with ppartnerships
Hackney Evening Economy Development Strategy, with EDAW
London Borough of Haringey
Area strategy & development appraisal for Tottenham Haleinitial viability study: Fashion Cityoverview of the London clothing and fashion industriesHaringey Heartlands masterplan, with Stock Woolstencroft
Regeneration strategy for Wood Green Cultural Quarterreview of Wood Green Cultural Quarter progress
London Borough of Lambeth
Feasibility of a mixed use development scheme in central Brixton
London Borough of Lewishamgetting arts & culture into the City Challenge
London Borough of Newhamimprovement and promotion strategy for a specialist Asian retail centremanagement strategy for Stratford Workshopsarts and cultural strategyintruder alarm feasibility study
London Borough of Tower HamletsMillennium Quarter Masterplan, with EDAW
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Development advice for Leyton Yardrevitalisation strategy, Leyton High Road
London Docklands Development Corporationfeasibility study on street markets for the Isle of Dogs, with Comediareview of voluntary sector support, with Comediaassessment of mental health needs on the Isle of Dogs
London Planning Advisory Committeecultural analysis for the London World City project, with Comedia UDP policies for arts, culture and entertainmentprospects for London's media and creative industries
Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltdtechnical feasibility study, local television channel
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
Design of new public space
Manchester Area Printmakers
Business development strategy
Manchester City Art Gallery
Concept study - Arts Centre for the 21st Century
Manchester City Council
Economic development strategy for the a/v industries, with Comediacultural strategy for Manchesterorganisation of the First National Conference on the Evening Economy of Citiesarea strategy, Northern Quarter of City Centre, with Urbanisticsarea regeneration seminar, Northern Quarter Association
Medway Councilvision for Chatham 'city' centre, with Llewelyn Davies
Melbourne, City of
Advice on cultural planning and cultural quarters
Arts and cultural strategy
Laneways animation strategy
Middlesbrough Borough Councilarts development strategy and venue feasibility studies, with Comedia
Town centre revitalisation and development strategy, with EDAW
City of Newcastle, NSWadvice on the city centre, evening economy and cultural quarter
Newcastle City CouncilGrainger Town Area Development Strategy, with EDAW urban public realm study, with Llewelyn Davies
North Kensington City Challengemedia industries economic development strategyimplementation first phase media strategy
North Kent Architecture Centreurban design judging panel, new settlement competition
North Peckham Task Forcedevelopment appraisal and financial package for mixed use property development
North London TECfeasibility study for a Cultural Enterprise Centre
City of Perth
Advice on city centre mallsAdvice on Northbridge
Creative industries development
City of Prague
Cultural development strategy, with Llewelyn-Davies
Restormel Councilurban village design proposal, with David Lock Associates
Scottish Arts Council
Culture and the city, training seminar
Scottish Development Agencyanalysis of Glasgow's cultural economy, with Comedia
Sheffield City Councildevelopment advice on the Cultural Industries Quarterdevelopment advice on the night-time economynight club market appraisal4th National 24 Hour City Conference, November 1996
Area development and management framework for Sheffield Science and Cultural Industries Quarter, with EDAWdevelopment prospectus for Cultural Industries Quarter
Tourism pole funding application
SRB funding application
Townscape Heritage Initiative, analysis and lottery application
Southampton City Councila cultural plan for Southampton city centredevelopment brief for Charlotte Place, with Colin Buchanan & Partners city centre urban design strategy, with EDAW
Spike Community Association
Marketing brief to find a private sector development partner
Feasibility study of performance venue
Advice on Inner Area Programme funding and City Grant application development appraisal and business plan
Spitalfields Arts Project
ERDF and Lottery funding application and impact analysis
Business plan and management structure for gallery, studios and jazz club
Stratford City Challenge
Fashion Centre Feasibility Study
Stirling District Council strategy to revitalise Stirling town centre, with Comedia
Sunderland, City of
Evening economy development strategyarea regeneration strategy for Sunnisidejoint policy on licensed premises in the city centre
Tamworth Borough Councilurban design study, with Colin Buchanan & Partners
Tasmanian State Government
Cutural precinct development strategy, with Root Projects
Telford & Wrekin Council Telford Town centre vision and development strategy, with EDAW
Tower Hamlets Arts Projectorganisational review and corporate development plan, with Comedia
City of Unley Place strategies for Unley's Identity Corridors
Urban Pacific Ltd
Design competition master plan for Port Adelaide
West London Training and Enterprise Councileconomic sector evaluation, media and broadcast industries
City of Westminster urban design and management of West End public spaces, with EDAW
Yorkshire Forward
Urban renaissance strategy, with David Lock Associates