May 31, 2024
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The discussion about cities often follows disciplinary lines. Housing is considered without reference to culture. Sustainability is frequently approached as a technical or engineering problem. Urban planning may become disconnected from lived experience, while architecture is sometimes discussed without sufficient consideration of society, culture, or community. Yet cities do not function through separated systems. Environmental, social, economic, and cultural conditions constantly interact, shaping the places where we live, work, and spend our free time.
As urban challenges become increasingly complex, the limitations of fragmentation also become more visible. Questions surrounding housing affordability, climate resilience, public space, migration, inequality, infrastructure, and urban identity cannot be resolved through single-disciplinary approaches alone. Decisions made in one area inevitably influence many others. Housing policy can affect mental health and social inclusion, while transport systems influence both accessibility and the environmental impact of cities.
Urban thinkers such as Jane Jacobs argued that cities thrive through diversity, interaction, and connected urban life. More recently, discussions surrounding participatory urbanism, sustainability, and interdisciplinary research have continued to highlight the importance of collaboration across different sectors and fields.
Cross-sector conversations, therefore, appear increasingly necessary today. Different groups engage with urban issues from distinct perspectives and priorities, yet opportunities for meaningful dialogue among these voices often remain limited. The question is whether more spaces can be created where different forms of knowledge, experience, and practice may interact more openly and collaboratively.
Cities are shaped by multiple systems operating simultaneously and influencing one another in visible and invisible ways. Housing, transport, governance, economy, infrastructure, ecology, culture, and social life are deeply connected, and changes within one area often produce consequences in many others.
Transport systems, for example, are not only about mobility. They also influence accessibility, environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, and social inclusion. Housing extends beyond the provision of shelter and connects to public health, affordability, community formation, and quality of life. Public spaces similarly shape social interaction, cultural identity, safety, and the sense of belonging people experience within cities.
Because of this complexity, urban problems can rarely be understood through isolated frameworks alone. Solutions developed within a single discipline may overlook social, environmental, cultural, or economic consequences emerging elsewhere. In some cases, highly technical approaches may fail because they do not fully engage with the lived realities of communities and everyday urban experience.
Urban theorists and researchers have long discussed the layered nature of cities. Richard Sennett, for example, emphasised openness, interaction, and cooperation within urban environments, while Henri Lefebvre argued that urban space is socially produced rather than simply physically constructed. These perspectives suggest that cities cannot be understood only through buildings and infrastructure, but also through relationships, power structures, everyday practices, and collective experiences.
As contemporary cities continue to face pressures related to climate change, inequality, migration, rapid urbanisation, and technological transformation, understanding urban life as a layered and interconnected system becomes increasingly important.
Although cities function through interconnected systems, the people and institutions involved in shaping them often work according to very different priorities, pressures, and ways of thinking. Architects, urban planners, researchers, policy-makers, NGOs, public institutions, developers, artists, and community groups may all engage with urban questions, yet they frequently approach them from separate perspectives and agendas.
In academia, discussions may focus on theoretical frameworks, critical debates, and long-term research questions. Policy-makers may prioritise governance, legislation, implementation, and measurable outcomes. Practitioners often work within the realities of budgets, clients, regulations, and time constraints, while NGOs and community organisations may focus more directly on social impact, accessibility, advocacy, and lived experience.
These differences are not necessarily negative. In many cases, they reflect the complexity of urban life itself. However, limited communication between sectors can create fragmented approaches to urban problems. Different groups may work toward related goals while using different priorities, terminology, and methods
As a result, opportunities for meaningful collaboration can remain limited. Important knowledge produced in one sector may not easily reach another, while some urban decisions risk being shaped without sufficient engagement with social realities, cultural contexts, or community perspectives. In some cases, groups working on related urban issues may rarely interact directly, despite addressing overlapping concerns.
Creating more opportunities for dialogue between sectors and disciplines may therefore become increasingly important in developing broader and more responsive approaches to urban futures.
Creating spaces where different disciplines, sectors, and perspectives can interact may help open new ways of understanding urban challenges and imagining possible futures. Cross-sector dialogue does not mean removing disciplinary expertise; rather, it creates opportunities for different forms of knowledge and experience to engage with one another more meaningfully.
Such dialogue may take many forms. Conferences, seminars, workshops, publications, public discussions, and collaborative projects can all function as spaces where ideas move across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. In recent years, interdisciplinary platforms have become increasingly important in connecting academic research with professional practice, public engagement, and policy discussions.
This also raises important questions about how urban knowledge is shared and who is included within these conversations. Discussions surrounding housing, sustainability, public space, planning, architecture, and culture are often closely connected in practice, even when separated institutionally. Questions of affordability, mobility, governance, inequality, participation, identity, and belonging frequently overlap within everyday urban life.
Within this context, platforms such as SPACE Studies aim to encourage interdisciplinary and cross-sector dialogue through conferences, workshops, seminars, and publications that bring together participants from different professional and academic backgrounds. The Autumn Conference Series 2026, for example, was developed around the idea that conversations surrounding sustainability, housing, planning, architecture, and culture should not remain entirely isolated from one another. While each conference focuses on a distinct theme, together they attempt to open broader discussions about the future of cities and the multiple systems shaping urban life.
Cross-sector dialogue alone cannot resolve the complex challenges facing contemporary cities. However, creating more spaces for exchange, collaboration, and critical discussion may help encourage more connected, reflective, and inclusive approaches to urban futures.
Jacobs, J. (1961). The death and life of great American cities. Random House.
Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space (D. Nicholson-Smith, Trans.). Blackwell. (Original work published 1974)
Sennett, R. (2018). Building and dwelling: Ethics for the city. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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Administrative Assistant
Deniz Bol is the Administrative Assistant at SPACE Studies, where she supports the day-to-day operations and contributes to the smooth functioning of the organization. Alongside her administrative role, Deniz is an artist with a passion for creative expression. She is currently pursuing her studies at the University of the Arts London (UAL), where she continues to develop her artistic practice. Her organizational skills, paired with her artistic background, make her a valuable asset to the SPACE Studies team, helping bridge the worlds of administration and creativity.
E-mail: denizbol@spacestudies.co.uk
Digital Marketing Consultant
Murat Oktay is the Digital Marketing Consultant at SPACE Studies, where he provides strategic guidance to enhance our digital presence and community engagement. With a keen eye for digital marketing trends and best practices, Murat plays a key role in refining our content strategy, expanding our online reach, and connecting with a wider audience. His expertise in digital tools and innovative marketing techniques aligns with SPACE Studies’ mission as a social enterprise, ensuring that our campaigns are impactful and resonate with our commitment to social responsibility in architecture and design. Outside his work with SPACE Studies, Murat stays at the forefront of digital marketing advancements, continually exploring new tools and sharing his insights with peers.
E-mail: muratoktay@spacestudies.co.uk
Marketing Manager
Santa Noella Matabaro is the Marketing Manager of SPACE Studies, bringing her expertise in strategic planning, community engagement, and relationship-building to the organization’s mission as a social enterprise. With a background in Politics & Law from the University of Kent, Santa combines analytical insights with a creative approach to advancing SPACE Studies’ vision of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue in architecture, design, and urban planning. In her role, she develops targeted campaigns and strategic partnerships, building brand presence and fostering meaningful connections with the community. Santa’s collaborative and people-centered approach enhances SPACE Studies’ impact, aligning with its commitment to social responsibility and innovation in the built environment.
Academic Content Coordinator
Betul Uckan is an architect and dedicated academic with a background in both architectural practice and research. She holds a Master of Science in Architectural Design and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Istanbul Technical University, where she cultivated her interests in architectural theory and design. Betul has gained experience as a research assistant in various universities, contributing to design studios and foundational courses. She has also worked in the field as an architect with projects focused on design, modeling, and construction, and has been involved in notable projects, including Maltepe Piazza and Emaar Square in Istanbul. With her expertise spanning both digital and material architecture, Betul brings a dynamic, interdisciplinary approach to her role as the Academic Programme Coordinator.
E-mail: betuluckan@spacestudies.co.uk
Senior Researcher & Managing Editor
Arghavan Pournaderi is a senior researcher in the field of architectural conservation and restoration, with an academic foundation in architecture and specialized expertise in historic sites and buildings. Completing her PhD at the Art University of Isfahan, Iran, in 2019, her research has contributed to the understanding of Iran’s architectural heritage, with a focus on Isfahan’s urban and architectural evolution during the Safavid period. In addition to her extensive research, Dr. Pournaderi has held academic positions at various institutions in Isfahan, teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Her work extends beyond academia as she contributes to SPACE Studies as Senior Researcher & Managing Editor, where she oversees scholarly initiatives that foster deeper interdisciplinary dialogue in architecture and heritage conservation.
Senior Researcher & Educational Consultant
Gregory Cowan is a Senior Researcher and Educational Consultant at SPACE Studies, where he leads initiatives that bridge academic research and practical application in architecture and urban design. He contributes his extensive experience to mentoring postgraduate students, designing educational workshops, and guiding community-focused projects. Gregory is also a freelance academic at the University of Wales Trinity St David and the University of Westminster, and founder of The Architects Coach. His expertise spans architectural workspace analysis, professional development, and positive intelligence coaching.
E-mail: gregorycowan@spacestudies.co.uk
Senior Researcher
Alison Hand is a Senior Researcher at SPACE Studies. She is a painter and writer with an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art. Alison’s work focuses on creating absurd, unstable heterotopic spaces and dialogues with painting history. She is currently the Artist in Residence for King’s College London Philosophy Department on the Dreams and Wakeful Consciousness Research Project, exploring themes of time and simultaneity in new work. Alison has received numerous awards for her painting and is currently working with Bloomsbury Publishers on a major essay on Drawing in Contemporary Art. She is also the BA Fine Art Programme Leader at Art Academy London and co-director of Cement Arts. Her role at SPACE Studies involves leading research projects, mentoring junior researchers, and contributing to our artistic and academic initiatives.
E-mail: alisonhand@spacestudies.co.uk
Senior Researcher
Julian Wild is a Senior Researcher at SPACE Studies and the Sculpture Program Leader at The Art Academy London. With over 30 years of experience in creating and exhibiting sculptures, Julian has worked with high-profile clients such as Cate Blanchett and the University of Oxford. A fellow and former vice president (2015-2019) of the Royal Society of Sculptors, his work has been featured at venues like Modern Art Oxford and Chatsworth House. At SPACE Studies, Julian leads research projects, mentors junior team members, and conducts workshops that blend art and urban studies. In his free time, he enjoys attending academic conferences and crafting new sculptures.
E-mail: julianwild@spacestudies.co.uk
Director of Publications & Senior Researcher
Elif Suyuk Makakli (Associative Professor) earned her PhD in Architecture from the Vienna University of Technology, where she studied the impact of technology on architecture under Prof. William Alsop. With extensive experience in architectural practice in Istanbul and Vienna, she is now an Associate Professor at FMV Isik University, focusing on design education and technology. At SPACE Studies, Elif serves as both the Head of Publications and Senior Researcher, guiding scholarly content and contributing to research initiatives. She is dedicated to mentoring and fostering design innovation.
E-mail: elifsmakakli@spacestudies.co.uk
Director of Research
Sanaz Shobeiri is an architect, urban designer, and landscape urbanist, currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Planning at Queen’s University Belfast. Her research focuses on age-gender inclusiveness and the interplay of architectural, historical, political, and sociocultural dimensions in urban spaces, exemplified by her project on city centres in Belfast and Tehran. Sanaz holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Tehran and has a robust portfolio in sustainability and urban theory. As Head of Research at SPACE Studies, she leads innovative research initiatives, fostering collaboration and academic excellence. In her free time, Sanaz enjoys exploring urban landscapes and supporting community development.
E-mail: sanazshobeiri@spacestudies.co.uk
Creative Director
Selin Gulce Sozmen is the Creative Director at SPACE Studies, where she leads the artistic vision and design strategy for the organisation. With a background in graphic design and visual arts, Selin has been instrumental in creating visually captivating books, journals, and event posters. Her role extends to developing and coordinating workshops and creative projects, ensuring that all visual materials meet the highest standards of quality and innovation. Selin’s dedication to creativity and excellence drives the visual and creative direction of SPACE Studies, making her an essential part of the team.
E-mail: selinsozmen@spacestudies.co.uk
Founder & Executive Director
Pinar Engincan is the Founder and Executive Director of SPACE Studies, an innovative social enterprise focused on fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and education in architecture and urban design. With extensive experience as a lecturer and researcher, Pınar holds a PhD in Architecture and has led numerous academic initiatives. Her career includes curriculum development, international collaborations, and research on housing and urban policies. Passionate about bridging academia and community, she champions accessible education and consultancy services, empowering individuals to shape the built environment.
E-mail: pengincan@spacestudies.co.uk
