Profile & Work

Amelia Powell, MA (she/her)

I recently graduated from the University of Dundee in the MA Urban Planning course. I am currently working in a Local Authority’s Development Management Team as a Planning Officer.

While undertaking my dissertation on the extent to which Scottish planning considers women when planning and designing urban areas, I was shocked by some of the statistics and research I read. It inspired me to continue to deepen my understanding of the importance of gender inclusivity and what can be done whilst educating others on the necessity for the built environment to change.

With Kirsty, I hope to inspire both women and men, old and young, regardless of ethnicity or sexual orientation, to make inclusive and safer spaces that work better for the entire population and promote gender equality. I strongly agree with the UN that sustainability cannot be achieved without gender equality and so I hope you feel inspired to promote change with us.

Image of a temporary wooden structure in a park with teenage girls interacting with it.

To Hang: a drawing exploration of a structure that supports the reclamation of public space by young girls.

A map is in the background, with a series of pieces of paper in front showing portraits and text.

Share A Safe Space: a pop up to aid in the mapping of a neighbourhoods perception of safety.

A section through a building with people interacting at the ground level , and housing above.

Research : Women in Placemaking, summative collage.

MArch project: Re-population of backland space for vulnerable communities.

Articles, papers and upcoming events will be shared on our blog! (as will some more drawings / collages...)

A collage showing women in placemaking through sustainable transport, pop up cafes, street furniture

Kirsty Watt, MArch (she/her)

I graduated in May 2020 from an interdisciplinary Masters course in Architecture with Urban Planning, focusing on community networks in historic cities. I now work for GRAS, a progressive design studio in Edinburgh, alongside my research at HerCollective.

My main interests revolve around the integration of women's services and safe space within historic urban fabrics through the translation of feminist ideals in design interventions, and the effective use of community engagement. Community engagement is key to the inclusion of marginalised communities, and I believe that women need to be at the front of this movement.

My skills lie in the design of small-scale temporary spaces, and I am developing design principles to make the inclusion of women more accessible to built environment professionals. I hope that the resources we share can help bring change within the UK, and continue the work of the feminist collectives of the 1980s.