Rewilding the Built Environment

As my motivation for taking the MPhil in Architecture and Urban Studies is to continue on to an interdisciplinary PhD, the objective of my MPhil dissertation is to produce a foundation from which to do so. I propose to investigate the potential for rewilding the built environment and the associated health and wellbeing benefits. In this context 'rewilding' (often referred to as 'ecological restoration') is defined as a return of wildness, or biodiversity and natural processes, and 'health and wellbeing' encompasses all aspects of physical and mental health. I intend to complete an interdisciplinary literature review, synthesising the research from several often-disparate fields (e.g. conservation, built environment and public health) in order to draw new inferences for urban rewilding. I expect to build on this by developing a new method for appraising rewilding designs and strategies and apply this to critique a real-world case study. The aim will be to add to the existing body of knowledge by providing a more refined understanding of rewilding in an urban context. I propose an interdisciplinary advisory panel for the MPhil and PhD, drawing on expertise from multiple departments. Professor Steemers (Department of Architecture) has agreed to supervise and Professor Gandy (Department of Geography) and Dr Barakat (Judge Business School) have agreed to be advisors. This arrangement was agreed with Dr Jin in advance of applying.