Rachel Kerr

Rachel Kerr

Ms

Personal profile

Overview

Contact: [email protected] 

 

Rachel Kerr is a Lecturer in Urban Design within the department of Planning, Property and Environmental Management and the University of Manchester. Prior to joining UoM, she worked in practice as Associate Urban Designer at international consultancy Tetra Tech, formerly working in urban design and development divisions at WYG and AECOM. She specialises in town centre regeneration and sustainable mixed-use masterplanning, as well as estate regeneration frameworks and design codes.

Rachel sits on the leadership committee for the Manchester Urban Design Lab, acting as Outreach Coordinator, working with built environment professionals to support the sharing of skills and experience between academia and industry.

Rachel’s academic interests focus across five areas:

  • Urban design process and technical skills
  • Digital technologies in urban design
  • Urban design quality
  • Urban design pedagogy
  • Impact in the context of urban design and urban design scholarship

 

Projects & Events

  • Forthcoming Book 2025: The Urban Design Toolkit, RIBA
  • June 2024: UoM Bicentenary ‘Shaping a Campus’ Exhibition
  • June 2024: RTPI North-West ‘Transferrable Lessons in Urban Design Quality from Vienna’ Presentation
  • May 2024: Focus Group Expert: RTPI Research Project on Strategic Planning
  • October 2022: Manchester Science Festival ‘Future Cities’ Exhibition
  • October 2022: RTPI North-West Urban Design Training CPD Delivery
  • Ongoing: Manchester Urban Design Lab Professional Practice Forum Seminar Series

 

Professional Memberships & Roles

  • Member Royal Town Planning Institute
  • RTPI North-West Regional Activities Committee
    • Policy and Research Task Group lead 2023 & 2024
    • Awards Task Group member 2024
  • RTPI National Research Awards Panel 2024

 

Teaching

Rachel is currently acting Programme Director for the Urban Design and International Planning MSc at UoM. She leads or teaches on the following units:

  • Urban Design Studio
  • Urban Design Futures
  • Urban Design Project
  • Masterplan Studio
  • International Urban Design
  • Design Dissertation

Rachel has also been invited to guest critique at Manchester School of Architecture.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

Areas of expertise

  • NA Architecture
  • Urban Design
  • Masterplanning
  • Design Codes
  • Sustainable Built Environment

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Manchester Urban Institute
  • Digital Futures

Keywords

  • Manchester Urban Design Lab

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