Projects

Current Projects

City Centre Crime - cooling crime hotspots by design

This project has been initiated by the Manchester Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership to investigate the relationship between the urban environment and crime and to devise and implement practical design changes to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

Work will analyse and examine crime problems occurring within an area of Manchester city-centre identified as containing a significant number of crime ‘hotspots’ by the Manchester Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP). The project will examine the relationship between the current urban environment, items within it, their use and crime.

A design audit of the current streetscape within the hot spot area will be undertaken and the modus operandi (MO) of offenders investigated to identify ways in which offenders exploit this urban space. In addition, ethnographic research will explore ways in which legitimate users negotiate this environment.

ThinkCrime

ThinkCrime is an ambitious, 12-month project that will implement a well-structured, accessible mechanism enabling meaningful engagement between academics, expert stakeholders and the wider user base of professionals and practitioners.

The project will create an innovative forum—the ThinkCrime expert panel—within which academics and expert practitioners will explore crime issues, question assumptions and collaborate to identify potential improvement issues, practical solutions and novel ‘solution domains’ for further investigation.

The ThinkCrime project is sponsored by the Crime Theme of the Urban Regeneration – Making a Difference initiative. This HEFCE-funded initiative involves The University of Salford, Northumbria University, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Central Lancashire, and aims to address key urban regeneration challenges in the North of England through inter-disciplinary collaboration between the partner universities and practitioner organisations—particularly those in the public and voluntary sectors.

The ThinkCrime project was developed in recognition of the need for the Crime Theme to be demand-led in its approach, over both the short- and long-term, and to effectively connect with the issues and needs of practitioners and stakeholders.

Techniquest Science Discovery Centre Cardiff

A collaborative research project between Techniquest Science Discovery Centre, Cardiff, and the Centre for Heritage Studies at the University of Salford led by Professor Pat Sterry. Techniquest is currently developing a special centre for 14-19 year olds that will offer a range of activities and learning experiences in line with the National Curriculum AS/A2 specifications, the Welsh Baccalaureate, and GNVQ. This centre will work in close association with two proposed Learning Campuses in South Wales, one of which will have a focus on drama and theatre and the other a focus on science and medicine. The three centres will complement each other.

Past Projects

Design Against Crime

Design Against Crime is a programme of research and policy initiatives that aims to improve design's effectiveness in reducing crime. The project web site gives you access to detailed research, case studies, educational materials, information for designers and a showcase of the best design against crime.

Whether you are learning design at school, college or university, commissioning design for industry and commerce, working as a professional designer or involved in crime reduction – you will find a wealth of useful and useable information here.

DeDEPA (Designing Dynamic Environments for the Performing Arts)

The DeDEPA project, undertaken by the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the University of Salford, seeks to identify factors that contribute to the delivery of "better" buildings for the Performing Arts. The aim is to elucidate the most appropriate briefing processes and plans of work for these building types.

An Exploration of Family Group Visitors to Museums and Galleries in the UK

AHRC funded research examining the complexity of family groups and dynamics of museum visitors, in collaboration with leading museums and galleries and joint investigators of an AHRC three year funded project, led by Prof. Pat Sterry, completed in 2007.