Moving Targets: practice, architecture and urban shrinkage

In recent years, the phenomenon of urban shrinkage has become a critical issue within architecture and urban design. As people relocate- often from smaller, quieter towns and cities to larger, growing and expanding urban areas in search of better prospects- spatial practitioners, urban designers, planners and architects are repeatedly provided with opportunities to rethink place and space in order to deal with this growth. So closely linked to these forms of spatial practice is the notion of urban growth that patterns of economy are often indicated within industries linked to construction and the built environment. Unsurprisingly then, the issues of growth and urban expansion are clear themes introduced into design studio within the academy as vehicles for student design projects, to equip aspiring architects and designers with the critical skills for them to develop into their future lives as spatial practitioners. Complimentary to this, dealing with themes of urban growth and expansion enables the design teacher to assess the student’s ability to think, develop, design and build their academic portfolios and ultimately build their architecture.