Week picks #11

CENTRE FOR LONDON

Centre for London is a new politically independent, not-for-profit think tank focused on the big policy challenges facing London. It aims to help London build on its long history as a centre of economic, social, and intellectual innovation and exchange, and create a fairer, more prosperous, democratic and sustainable city. Through its research and events, the Centre acts as a critical friend to London’s leaders and policymakers, promotes a wider understanding of the challenges facing London, and develops long-term, rigorous and radical policy solutions for the capital.
The Centre is politically non-aligned, but is devolutionary in its values and wants to see London being given more powers to manage its own affairs. Its interests range across economic, social, environmental and social issues.
Centre for London was incubated by Demos, before becoming independent in January 2013. It has been warmly welcomed by organisations and leaders across the capital, and has worked in partnership with the city’s business groups, charities, campaign groups and national and London government.

PLACECHECK

Placecheck is a method of taking the first steps in deciding how to improve an area. There are many other ways of doing this, but most of them need to be led by someone trained or experienced in a particular method, and they can take considerable time and resources. By contrast a Placecheck can be done by anyone, without much preparation. Placechecks are often able to kick-start change in a way that might not otherwise be possible. Other methods and studies can follow later.
Placecheck’s simple idea is that much of what needs to be known about a place can be seen and understood by looking at it, or is in the heads of the people who live, work or play there. Placecheck is the simplest, quickest way of finding out what the place and its people can tell us, and starting the process of making change happen.
A Placecheck can help a community take control of its destiny. It can lead to anything from litter clear-up days and street parties, better planning and effective neighbourhood plans, right through to community-led groups that buy local assets such as banks, pubs, shops and libraries, and run local services.

NEW LONDON ARCHITECTURE

Located at The Building Centre in central London, NLA is a focus for the debate and discussion of issues facing architecture, planning, development and construction in the capital.
A year-round programme of conferences, talks, round-table discussions and exhibitions attracts leading decision-makers in London government, property, planning and design. This broad audience of architects, engineers, developers, agents, planners, councillors, officers and community provides an unrivalled environment for discussion, learning and debate.
Public galleries - open to all, free of charge, six days a week - tell the story of London's development through a giant scale model of central London, displays on major development activity across all of London's 33 boroughs and regularly changing exhibitions. We are open six days a week and receive over 10,000 visitors each month from London, the UK and abroad.



Week picks series features every Friday some initiatives and projects I found or want to highlight on this blog. It will help me to track new findings from community groups, startups or local governments working and delivering solutions relevant to the issues of this blog. I often bookmark them or save them on Tumblr while I wait to use them. Maybe this a good way.