Landscape, Well-Being and Environment (PDF)

Richard Coles is Professor of Urban Landscape and Environmental Interaction, with a background in forestry and issues relating to urban greening. He has a particular interest in examining how individuals perceive the landscape and has developed a range of theoretical perspectives which model user/environment interaction and from which the current emphasis on well-being stems. His initial training in biological sciences and current work within a design school of architecture allows him to adopt a unique stance to investigation and where he has received grant funding from the UK research councils and the EU. With Zoë Millman he has developed a range of well-being initiatives which target the landscape, walking, memory, and cultural engagement.

Zoë Millman is a post-doctoral researcher at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design, with a background in museums and the history of art and architecture. She was awarded her PhD, 'Landscape narratives and the construction of meaning in the contemporary urban canal-scape' in 2012 (Birmingham City University / British Waterways). Her current research relates to how we perceive, remember, give meaning to and express our understanding of the landscape. Zoë's recent work has used creative research methods to investigate landscape perceptions, identities and well-being in partnership with community groups and national organisations.