Post-graduate student Erin Fairweather has been awarded a pass with distinction for her dissertation, titled ‘Exploring the design of urban space in relation to the needs of young people’. Erin started work experience with Cass Associates in February 2017 while undertaking a Master of Civic Design in Town and Regional Planning at the University of Liverpool.

Erin’s dissertation aimed to explore the design of urban space in relation to the needs of young people, taking into consideration how young people experience urban spaces and what design elements they would like to see incorporated. To achieve this, Erin focused her case study on Millennium Square in Leeds and took to the streets of Leeds to find participants willing to assist with her research by answering a short questionnaire on how Millennium Square could be re-designed with a focus on meeting the needs of young people.

Following the questionnaire feedback, Erin prepared three concept sketches for the re-design of Millennium Square based on the comments received.

The results showed that compromise is key to meeting the needs of young people in our urban spaces, with many respondents emphasising the need to meet the requirements of different users of urban space – such as skateboarders, people wanting to relax in some green space, etc. It shows that young people have a voice in the future of our cities that is worth listening to.

Erin had this to say about her time with Cass Associates:

“Working with Cass Associates has been a fantastic experience!  I have learnt a lot about the field of planning, and been given an insight into its process on the ground.  This knowledge has been crucial in helping me to understand the core planning topics whilst studying for my degree. 

Gaining experience from a multi-disciplinary firm has taught me how the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and planning can work together to create well designed, sustainable, development.  Particularly, this understanding was of benefit to my dissertation which explored the design of urban space in relation to the needs of young people.  Through this I found that it is important for a variety of disciplines, groups, and individuals to come together to create spaces which benefit the local community and environment. 

The people here at Cass are fun and friendly, and have inspired me towards a career in planning and the built environment!”

If you would like to know more about future work experience opportunities at Cass Associates, you can contact us here.