As part of our ongoing process of Place Research, our live case study analysis, we took the whole office on a walking tour around three established housing developments. We visited Upton, Northamptonshire, followed by Wolvercote and Barton Park Oxfordshire. In mixed-discipline groups, we looked at what made each of the places work well and which aspects might be improved in future areas of design practice.

Originally located within the grounds of Brooklands House, a II listed building country house, Accordia is part of a brownfield development in Cambridge of 9.5 hectares, including 378 homes. Visiting Accordia and its surroundings, we aimed to understand its transformation and to define what makes this area of Cambridge so distinctive.

In May 2023, members of our Place Research team conducted research to understand the essence of this dynamic place. Being located at the southern-eastern edge of the Jewellery Quarter, we had an opportunity to reflect on our regular experience with the neighbourhood.

Balsall Heath was originally agricultural land between Moseley Village and the city of Birmingham. Community action, has led to recognition, including visits by a former prime minister. Most recently, Basall Heath was a finalist in the Academy of Urbanism Great Neighbourhood awards 2023 . We set out to delve into what makes Balsall Heath work as a great neighbourhood.

In April 2023, a multidisciplinary Place Research team set out from Define to gain some insight into the key aspects that define how well The Garden City of Bournville has stood the test of time..

Understanding what it takes to makes great Places is at the heart of what we do at Define. Reflecting on then 10 years of practice in 2022, we set about formalising our methods, to more systematically record, analyse and compare our understanding of places.

During the last few years, the practice has been challenging our understanding of how to design for people, for activities and for moments; not just making spatial decisions for specific land uses, but understanding the components that need to be in place to empower the formation of successful communities.