Citymakers 5: City Knowledge, Knowledge City

Institutions for education and research have been shaping our towns and cities all the way back to the first universities in the Middle Ages. Is their influence on our urban landscapes pervasive or have universities developed a symbiotic relationship with our cities? To what degree is this relationship reciprocal? Is the centre of knowledge a useful agent of regeneration or an exclusive castle on the hill?

Today, innovation and the knowledge economy are the buzz words most likely to be associated with the knowledge city, heavily promoted by city mayors and governments of all shades. New places and spaces for knowledge are increasingly employed as anchors for urban regeneration. Science and research are blurring the boundaries with more traditional workplaces. How does this play out in cities at different scales, specifically London, Cambridge, Manchester? How are new campuses impacting their locations? Or existing ones working to more clearly define their space? What sort of urban environment does a university need to thrive? And are we perhaps seeing a more conciliatory and socially responsible approach to development?

Our fifth annual Citymakers explores the dynamic between knowledge production and city renewal by taking the conversation to three very different contexts; London, Manchester and Cambridge, where research and academic institutions continue to grow, thrive and redefine their relationship to the city.

Three panels of architects, planners, academics, developers and other experts explored these subjects. This publication is the product of these dialogues with contributions from Yolande Barnes, Sarah Chubb, Rod Cantrill, Rick Splinter, Paul Eaton, Paul Appleton, Lou Cordwell, Kenneth Kinsella, Kate Wittels, Joe Berridge, Jeremy Till, Jane Hutchins, Nancy Rothwell, Artur Carulla, Alison Brooks.