The art of knowledge exchange in urban design

Abstract

This paper examines an intensive 9-month project of knowledge exchange between an academic researcher and the urban design practice Rick Mather Architects, focused around their long-term masterplan for London's South Bank Centre. This kind of project is still quite new within the design disciplines, but has significant potential benefits for both research and practice. Research can gain a better understanding of where new knowledge is needed, and enhance the prospects of being applied. Practice can benefit by using research to improve built outcomes. This paper evaluates the impact of a knowledge-exchange partnership on the state of knowledge of practice and research, and on the art of knowledge exchange in urban design as opposed to other disciplines. It identifies new forms of knowledge exchange through a set of research and engagement activities based on ethnographic methods. It highlights that the sharing of design knowledge is fundamentally a social art.