After working in housing research at the Planning Exchange in Glasgow and planning aid at the Town and Country Planning Association in London, Rob Cowan turned to journalism as editor of the TCPA's journal Town and Country Planning in 1982,[1] editor of Roof (the magazine of the housing charity Shelter) from 1983 and at the Architects' Journal in various roles, including as acting editor in 1990.
From 2000 to 2007 Cowan was the first director of the Urban Design Group[2] and from 2007 he was a director of the consultancy Urban Design Skills. He has originated three influential urban design methods: the Placecheck method of urban design audit;[3] the skills appraisal method Capacitycheck; and the design appraisal method Qualityreviewer.[4]
He has been a senior research fellow in the Department of Architecture, De Montfort University (1995–2003); an external examiner in town planning at the Bartlett School, UCL (2001–03); an external examiner in town planning at the University of Manchester (2002–05); and a teaching fellow (urban design) at the Bartlett School, UCL (2004–06). He was a corporate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute from 1999 to 2023.
Cowan began working on urban lexicography in 2000. The first edition of his acclaimed The Dictionary of Urbanism was published in 2005, and he has been updating and expanding it ever since. The second edition will be illustrated and have more than 12,000 entries.
ActivitiesEdit
In 1973 Cowan founded the Wyndham Lewis Society, devoted to the modernist writer and painter. The society publishes the Journal of Wyndham Lewis Studies and the Lewisletter. Cowan was chairman (1990–92) and a trustee (1992–99) of Vision for London. He has been editor of Context, the journal of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, since 2000.[5] He was an assessor for the Scottish student urban design awards (2002–05) and a special advisor to the House of Commons ODPM Committee (2004). He was a board member of the Nordic Urban Design Association from 2006 to 2014, and he chaired its first four annual conferences in Norway. Cowan has been a trustee and secretary of the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust (set up by the family of the town planning pioneer Sir Frederic Osborn) since 2006. He gave the Royal Town Planning Institute's masterclasses on urban design for many years. He was The Planner's cartoonist for 20 years, and his cartoons have been published in Context and the Architects' Journal. He presents the Plandemonium series of online cartoon videos. He has been a member of the judging panel for the Civic Voice Design Awards since 2015.[6]
PublicationsEdit
Cowan, R. and Delaney, A. (1993) London After Dark, Phaidon Press, London.
Cowan, R. (1995) Planning Aid in Practice, Royal Town Planning Institute.
Cowan, R. (1995) The Cities Design Forgot, Urban Initiatives, London.
Cowan, R., Henderson, G., and Strelitz, Z. (1996) Making Cities Better: visions and implementation, Vision for Cities, London.
Cowan, R. (1996) A Matter of Life and Death: mixed-use development, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham.
Cowan, R. (1997) The Connected City, Urban Initiatives, London, 1997.
Cowan, R. (1999) The Role of Planning in Local Government, Royal Town Planning Institute, London.
Cowan, R. (2000, and second edition 2001) Placechecks: a users’ guide, Urban Design Alliance, London.
Campbell, K. and Cowan, R. (2000) By Design: urban design in the planning system, Thomas Telford for CABE and the Department of Transport, Planning and the Regions, London.
Cowan, R. (2001) Designing Places (Policy Statement), Scottish Government, Edinburgh.
Campbell, K. and Cowan, R. (2002) Re:urbanism, Urban Exchange, London.
Cowan, R. (2002) Urban Design Guidance: urban design frameworks, development briefs and master plans, Thomas Telford, London.
cowan, urbanist, cowan, born, november, 1950, british, urbanist, writer, editor, speaker, consultant, cartoonist, illustrator, lexicographer, contents, career, activities, publications, references, external, linkscareer, editafter, working, housing, research, . Rob Cowan born 20 November 1950 is a British urbanist writer editor speaker consultant cartoonist illustrator and lexicographer Contents 1 Career 2 Activities 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksCareer EditAfter working in housing research at the Planning Exchange in Glasgow and planning aid at the Town and Country Planning Association in London Rob Cowan turned to journalism as editor of the TCPA s journal Town and Country Planning in 1982 1 editor of Roof the magazine of the housing charity Shelter from 1983 and at the Architects Journal in various roles including as acting editor in 1990 From 2000 to 2007 Cowan was the first director of the Urban Design Group 2 and from 2007 he was a director of the consultancy Urban Design Skills He has originated three influential urban design methods the Placecheck method of urban design audit 3 the skills appraisal method Capacitycheck and the design appraisal method Qualityreviewer 4 He has been a senior research fellow in the Department of Architecture De Montfort University 1995 2003 an external examiner in town planning at the Bartlett School UCL 2001 03 an external examiner in town planning at the University of Manchester 2002 05 and a teaching fellow urban design at the Bartlett School UCL 2004 06 He was a corporate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute from 1999 to 2023 Cowan began working on urban lexicography in 2000 The first edition of his acclaimed The Dictionary of Urbanism was published in 2005 and he has been updating and expanding it ever since The second edition will be illustrated and have more than 12 000 entries Activities EditIn 1973 Cowan founded the Wyndham Lewis Society devoted to the modernist writer and painter The society publishes the Journal of Wyndham Lewis Studies and the Lewisletter Cowan was chairman 1990 92 and a trustee 1992 99 of Vision for London He has been editor of Context the journal of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation since 2000 5 He was an assessor for the Scottish student urban design awards 2002 05 and a special advisor to the House of Commons ODPM Committee 2004 He was a board member of the Nordic Urban Design Association from 2006 to 2014 and he chaired its first four annual conferences in Norway Cowan has been a trustee and secretary of the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust set up by the family of the town planning pioneer Sir Frederic Osborn since 2006 He gave the Royal Town Planning Institute s masterclasses on urban design for many years He was The Planner s cartoonist for 20 years and his cartoons have been published in Context and the Architects Journal He presents the Plandemonium series of online cartoon videos He has been a member of the judging panel for the Civic Voice Design Awards since 2015 6 Publications EditCowan R and Delaney A 1993 London After Dark Phaidon Press London Cowan R 1995 Planning Aid in Practice Royal Town Planning Institute Cowan R 1995 The Cities Design Forgot Urban Initiatives London Cowan R Henderson G and Strelitz Z 1996 Making Cities Better visions and implementation Vision for Cities London Cowan R 1996 A Matter of Life and Death mixed use development Birmingham City Council Birmingham Cowan R 1997 The Connected City Urban Initiatives London 1997 Cowan R 1999 The Role of Planning in Local Government Royal Town Planning Institute London Cowan R 2000 and second edition 2001 Placechecks a users guide Urban Design Alliance London Campbell K and Cowan R 2000 By Design urban design in the planning system Thomas Telford for CABE and the Department of Transport Planning and the Regions London Cowan R 2001 Designing Places Policy Statement Scottish Government Edinburgh Campbell K and Cowan R 2002 Re urbanism Urban Exchange London Cowan R 2002 Urban Design Guidance urban design frameworks development briefs and master plans Thomas Telford London Cowan R 2003 Housing Quality Planning Advice Note 67 Scottish Government Edinburgh Cowan R with Urban Initiatives 2004 A Councillor s Guide to Urban Design CABE London Cowan R 2005 The Dictionary of Urbanism Streetwise Press Tisbury Cowan R 2008 Capacitycheck Urban Design Alliance London Cowan R 2008 Masterplanning Planning Advice Note 93 Scottish Government Edinburgh Cowan R 2008 Design and Access Statements Explained Thomas Telford London Cowan R 2010 Plandemonium the best of Cowan s cartoons on planning and urban design Streetwise Press Tilbury Cowan R Chapman D and Adams S 2010 Qualityreviewer Thomas Telford Publications London Campbell K and Cowan R editor 2016 The Radical Incrementalist Massive Small London Cowan R editor 2017 The Design Companion for Planning and Placemaking Urban Design London with RIBA Publishing London Cowan R 2021 Essential Urban Design RIBA Publishing London References Edit Town amp Country Planning The Journal of the Town and Country Planning Association Retrieved 1 April 2016 UDG UPDATE PDF Retrieved 1 April 2016 Why do a Placecheck Retrieved 1 April 2016 Qualityreviewer Homes and Communities Agency HCA Archived from the original on 8 July 2014 The Institute of Historic Building Conservation Archived 3 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine permanent dead link External links EditPersonal website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rob Cowan urbanist amp oldid 1177185759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
