Birmingham City University

Professor Richard Coles is the Head of the School of Architecture Research at Birmingham City University.
Research interests and projects include:

COMMUNITY AND URBAN FORESTRY

• Community Forestry (Forest of Mercia)
• Public preference and perceptions of urban woodlands (Redditch) ‏
• Social aspects of Urban Forestry (User based use and preference patterns)
• COST Action Urban Forestry (EU funded) ‏

URBAN GREENING

• Project URGE - Urban Green Environments (EU Framework 5) ‏
• The Green City of Tomorrow (EU FP5) ‏
• Greencluster (EU FP5) ‏
• Europark (Best practice of natural resource use; Leonardo) ‏
• Greensnet - Best practice for urban green strategy, policy and management in relation to climate change (Interreg IVc ) ‏

PERCEPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WELL-BEING

• Systems approach to well-being in the environment of Castle Vale (EPSRC)
• The iconic landscape of the canal and the diverse urban community (AHRC)
• Models of user based landscape perception (various) ‏
• User representation of the landscape/plants (with Birmingham Botanical Gardens)
• Place Identity-open space built & form (Eastside 1, 2 and 3 - SUE1, EPSRC)