Gender mainstreaming is the practice of integrating a gender perspective into all policies, programs, and decision-making processes to promote gender equality. It has been widely adopted in several Northern European countries, such as Sweden and Norway, where it forms a core part of public policy and governance. These countries routinely apply gender analysis to areas such as budgeting, urban planning, and education. In contrast, the UK has made relatively limited progress in this area, often relying on one-off initiatives rather than embedding gender considerations across policy frameworks.

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On the site of the historic Holloway Women’s Prison, this project set out to explore what it might mean to place gender – and the experiences and ideas of women and nonbinary people – at the heart of an engagement strategy for the redevelopment of the site into Holloway Park, a new housing development.

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Over a two-month period, eight Community Researchers aged 17 to 63, all of whom live or work in Holloway and identify as young women or nonbinary, participated in a paid working and learning experience. This intergenerational group used a gender mainstreaming lens to reflect on their lived experiences of the area and to propose ideas for the public spaces and amenities within the new development. Their focus included practical aspects such as wayfinding, cycle storage, and waste facilities. These proposals will directly inform elements of the development's future design.

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The project is ongoing, with a report to be published soon.