Dezeen · Creativity & design

Heatherwick's Humanise launches £1.5M research into UK urban design

Thomas Heatherwick's campaign Humanise has partnered with the University of Glasgow and UKRI for a £1.5 million project to address "dull development" in the UK.

The research, Delivering Humanised Places, explores how urban streetscapes can improve public wellbeing and foster pride. It focuses on external building and street design's impact on people.

Heatherwick argues buildings are often designed narrowly for efficiency, neglecting the external experience and its effect on feelings, especially amid societal fragmentation.

Humanise's research suggests 76% of UK residents believe building appearance affects mental health. The project aims to strengthen evidence on this link to create more joyful spaces.

The initiative will incorporate local community input and aims to influence policy by providing resources for "humanised" design in regeneration projects.

Heatherwick sees the UK's new town plans as a key opportunity to prioritize the human experience in development.

The Humanise campaign seeks to end "boring buildings" but has faced criticism for oversimplifying architectural issues.

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