What we do
At Social Place, we focus on research, engagement, and design. Our expertise covers a range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each project, client, and site. We collaborate with organisations in the public, private, charitable, and academic sectors to develop evidence-based strategies that amplify the voices of marginalised communities and guide inclusive policies and practices for the built environment.
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Current clients span a range of stakeholders across the UK (private, public, charitable and academic sectors) including Chelmsford County Council, Railpen and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
We work in a range of ways and always tailor our methods of working based on the particular place, people, timeline or brief. Our ability to work on projects from the early stages of site surveying, initial recruitment and engagement all the way through to build is a particular asset to our clients.
Research and Reports
Engagement and Workshops
Design
Research and Reports
As former academics, we integrate rigorous academic, social scientific and spatial methods into our work.
Qualitative and quantitative research: This includes large scale and evaluation surveys; Q-methods; spatial and site analysis; ethnographic research and interviewing; peer-research; and desk research including literature and policy reviews. We also undertake data analysis and evaluation and have particular expertise in peer research. Our focus is on the intersection of the built environment and marginalisation, migration, age and gender.
Detailed Reports: We also write tailored reports and case studies for organisations to evaluate their practices and projects, help them understand spatial inequalities and advocate for change. We are particularly experienced at translating academic findings and research outcomes into actionable reports and recommendations.
Examples of our research activities include: large scale data collection and analysis, large scale stakeholder interviews, participatory studies, project evaluation, and developing actionable insights for planning.​
Examples of our research:​
Engagement and Workshops
We design and deliver tailored engagement programmes to foster meaningful dialogues with communities.
With enhanced DBS checks, safeguarding policies, and over a decade of teaching experience, we ensure that all activities are conducted in safe, inclusive, and respectful environments.
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Peer Research and Paid Working and Learning Experiences: Our speciality is meaningfully involving community members, particularly young people, women and underrepresented groups, in long-term (and mid-term) paid participatory research and design projects that enhance their skills and provide valuable local insights. However we do also run:
Workshops: Ranging from one-off events to comprehensive series (depending on the brief), we use creative, visual and interactive methods to explore with community members their needs and aspirations.
Continuing Professional Development: We offer presentations and internal sessions for companies and organisations seeking to: better create inclusive public spaces; and better understand the challenges, intricacies, and approaches to ‘good’ engagement. We specialise in sessions on young people and gender.
Public Events: We run, speak at or work with community members to contribute to public discourse on inclusive space, such as at roundtables, panels, discussions, workshops and presentations. These serve as platforms to amplify voices and facilitate wider discussions on inclusive city-making.
Examples of our engagement:​​​
Lancaster West Young Ambassadors
Design
Design is a key part of our engagement process. Our architectural and design backgrounds enable us to deliver a range of outputs.
Co-Design Processes: We run collaborative design sessions where community members actively contribute to shaping their environments.
Mapping and Visualisations: We use visual tools to illustrate how people use and perceive spaces, and to imagine alternatives that reflect community needs.
Spatial Interventions: We put together proposals for improved public spaces that align with the insights gathered through our engagement and research activities and that can inform clients’ particular site, project, or needs.
Spatial Collaboration: We are experienced in working closely with design teams across multiple disciplines (eg. architecture, lighting, and engineering) to translate engagement and research outputs into final visions and design proposals.​
Examples of our design work:​​