Tell you what, whatever you think about mega-events in general, and Japanese mega-events in particular, can we all agree that Japan does mascots better than anyone?

Surely they should have been £19.99.

It is exactly 25 years since I became a full time academic. It's been a proper rollercoaster: a privilege in many ways but also very tough job that has taken its toll. I've never known such uncertainty about what the future may hold; and I really feel for those just starting out.

I'm spending the day at our annual University of Westminster Learning and Teaching Symposium and it was brilliant co-organise one of the workshops (on using #walkingtours in SDG learning and teaching) with sociologist Dr. Emily Falconer (who curates amazing Sociology of Food tours of Soho)

At the @IGC2024Dub pre-conference in Galway I got to meet Marta Derek from University of Warsaw and find out about all the brilliant urban parks research she's been working on, including this new paper on nature in urban green spaces #ecosystemservices sciencedirect.com/science/articl… .

If you've not been to Crossness yet, you should get down there this weekend. An industrial cathedral, a palace of sewerage; a Victorian masterpiece.

Asking parks to fund themselves doesn't work & creates additional problems. Urban Green are haemorrhaging money (+ green flags) and now the city council are paying consultants £50,000 to tell them these parks will need to return to local authority control chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-eas…

Lebanon’s stretch on the Mediterranean is beyond beautiful☀️🌊 but the privatisation of our beaches is one of the most flagrant faces of illegal public space appropriation locals and tourists alike are faced with.

My new book with Routledge Books is now available to order - use code AFLY03 to get 20% introductory discount! This book, written with Michael Martin, Bob Phillips, & Taki Sonbli was many years in the making & we are extremely proud of it. #urbandesign routledge.com/Applied-Urban-…

I'm thrilled to be joining The Bartlett School of Planning tomorrow as Lecturer in Environmental Planning. I'm looking forward to contributing to the influential research and innovative education that BSP scholars do, and continuing my research on #urbangreenspace.

Fab coverage from Harriet Robinson, BBC Bristol on our latest research to understand why different ethnicities use parks differently... bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

#Wednesdayreading's author is #EsraSert who focuses on #Urbangreenspaces of #İstanbul: from ‘beautifying’ efforts to ‘mega-projects’ of the 2000s, especially gardens, groves, parks, and the Northern Forests.doi.org/10.1080/026654…… T&F Social Sciences and Humanities

Discover key highlights of the upcoming World Expo! The official brochure for #Expo2025 Osaka Kansai is now available in English and Japanese: expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-2…

"So absorbing!" We've had some lovely feedback about the podcast version of our sustainable urbanism themed walk around #Marylebone. This was produced in conjunction with Open City and you can access the spotify version here: open-city.org.uk/blog/walking-t…

This looks a really interesting new perspective on the history of London's parks.

*NEW* You can now download all the beautifully designed final In All Our Footsteps project summaries on key research themes of mapping, citizenship, health and accessibility related to histories of rights of way. Read all about them here: allourfootsteps.uk/newwriting/the… Funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council

📢 New paper 'Troubling go-alongs through the lens of care' W/ Ersilia Verlinghieri, Emma Lawlor & Rachel Aldred Highlighting importance of relationality of care in research, including care of the researcher. Funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research 'LTNs in London' project journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14…

Graham's brilliant new #OpenAccess book is being launched on 7th October here at University of Westminster - come and hear about the role citizen assemblies could play in addressing the climate crisis. tickettailor.com/events/univers…

Following the success of our Olympic issue, I am editing a special issue of Planning Perspectives dedicated to #WorldExpos to coincide with Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, titled Designing the Future City: International Expositions 1851-2025. Abstracts to [email protected] by 15th Oct BIE

We're coming to the end of the 3 month long occupation of Cavendish Square Gardens by Underbelly. This very centrally located Square could be a really attractive green space; but it has been neglected for decades - providing the perfect excuse to hawk it out as a venue.