Through My Lens: A Reflective Overview
Key Takeaways from my experience
This module has provided an interesting and unique approach for me to delve into critical topics and to explore them through research, group collaboration and writing after these. Each week I was introduced to different engaging lectures and themes to reflect upon, these included the intersection of sustainability, urban design and social inequality. The process of writing blogs and participating in our bi-weekly group discussions offered another supportive system of reflection that helped foster both my individual growth and the group’s collective knowledge-sharing.
All lectures presented were interesting and provided relevant contemporary issues, however my favourite lectures were on Sustainable urban design and Nature based solutions which were also my chosen blog topics. These really offered really great insights into how urban design can address pressing issues like climate change, housing shortages, and social inequality. Writing these blogs allowed me to investigate these topics in depth and articulate my understanding in a clear and accessible way to my blog readers. Presented in a different form of information but nonetheless still very enjoyable to do it.
Insights Gained Through Reflection
Blog 1, on sustainable housing design explored whether the UK could balance its ambitious housing delivery goals with sustainability imperatives. I explored how environmental, economic and social factors converge in current housing policy. I explored examples touched upon the lecturer…. Which definitely gave me a better understanding of the complexities of implementing sustainable housing at local and national scale. It also helped to reflect and raise critical questions about how we are currently balancing affordability with equality.
Similarly, exploring and writing blog 2, on nature- based solutions illuminated the potential of integrating natural processes into urban environments to address contemporary challenges such as flooding, heat islands and biodiversity loss. Examples used of Copenhagen’s management plan and Singapore’s ‘City in a Garden’ strategy were particularly interesting to inform my readers of the trans formative power of green infrastructure. What also stood out to me and I wanted to make other readers about was the opportunity of equity in Nbs, especially in marginalised areas. Writing about how such solutions could benefit disadvantaged communities made me realise the importance of inclusive planning.
The bi-weekly sessions and commenting on different posts really allowed us to review each other’s blogs in a fun interactive way. I was able to appreciate and expand on their work (not just mine), provide constructive feedback, and refine our ideas collaboratively. Through this reflective process I’ve been able to gain new planning knowledge and be more knowledgeable on current local and national planning projects, alongside learning other practical skills. I also believe writing for an audience instead of just myself or a professor, has improved my ability to communicate complex ideas in an informative and fun way. The group meetings and after class debriefs with some colleagues in the course also helped to enhance my critical thinking further which was helpful with the reflective blog writing part. Above everything else, this ‘acquiring information and then blogging it’ journey has made me appreciate the very important impact of participation and multi-disciplinary collaboration in urban design and it especially made me have a different outlook on topics which I hadn’t thought of before. Both independent research and collaborative learning and having many different guest speakers talk about their work and different topics impacting urban planning in this day and age allowed me to consider other aspects of planning and think of these critically about the role of design, policy and community in shaping a sustainable future.
As I move forward, I will be applying these lessons to future projects and will be advocating for solutions that not only address environmental concerns but also promote social equity and resilience as explored in my blogs.
