Over the past two years, Bradford has embarked on an ambitious placemaking journey, refining its approach to urban transformation. Once reliant on outsourcing large-scale projects, the city has now taken a leading role in shaping its own future. With a growing team of landscape architects, planners, and designers, Bradford is using placemaking as a critical cornerstone for revitalisation, policy integration, and community engagement. As it starts its role as the 2025 UK City of Culture, the momentum has never been stronger.
Transforming Bradford City Centre: A New Approach
Bradford’s city centre is undergoing a significant transformation, with placemaking at its core. No longer merely commissioning external projects, the city has built the confidence to manage large-scale developments in-house. This shift is leading to better-designed, more cohesive urban spaces.
However, it is not just about grand projects. Smaller-scale initiatives are also shaping the city’s future. Addressing health inequities, particularly around child health and access to green spaces, has become a priority. A key focus has been on teenage girls and their interaction with urban spaces, demonstrating how placemaking can foster inclusivity and social well-being. A testament to the city’s efforts and its evolution, Bradford was the winner of the 2023 Landscape Institute Awards, showcasing the city’s commitment to high-quality projects .
Placemaking as a Unifying Force
Placemaking in Bradford is more than a design strategy – it is a collaborative framework that brings together various stakeholders, internal departments, and funding streams. Traditionally working in silos, different teams are now finding common ground through shared goals and collective decision-making. By integrating placemaking principles into policy and business cases from the outset, Bradford is ensuring that urban development is more than the sum of its parts.
Embedding Placemaking in Policy and Practice
Bradford’s evolving approach to placemaking responds to some of the most pressing challenges of our time—climate change, social equity, and public health. Data-driven decision-making and a test-and-learn methodology are guiding strategic urban interventions, such as enhancing green infrastructure and enabling active lifestyles. Virtual reality engagement tools are helping communities envision future developments, making the planning process more inclusive and transparent.
By embedding placemaking into official policy, Bradford is laying the groundwork for a long-term transformation. What was once a fragmented approach is now a structured, integrated vision for the city.
Looking Ahead: A City Ready for 2025 and Beyond
As Bradford begins its tenure as the 2025 UK City of Culture, it stands as a city that has embraced placemaking as an essential part of its identity. With a growing, confident team, a commitment to community co-creation, and an innovative approach to policy integration, Bradford’s progress signals a city that is ready to take control of its own transformation, creating a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient urban environment for all.
Author: Marta Popiolek
Credits:
- Saira Ali
- Stephen Broadbent
