Interview with Julian Gitsham of Hassell

We caught up with architect Julian Gitsham in Dublin. Julian leads the global education, science team within Hassell, a multidisciplinary architecture, design and urban planning practice with offices in Asia Pacific and the United Kingdom.

How could the life science sector, the real estate sector and other key stakeholders work better together to create innovation districts?

The life sciences sector is a critical catalyst for growth and prosperity that delivers wider social and environmental impact beyond the immediate development cluster. We need to bring together collaborative relationships from both public and private investment partners, developers, clients, communities and the planning authorities to work together and deliver these visionary and transformative developments.

Currently demand for high quality space in the UK is outstripping supply and there is a danger that if we don’t accommodate this demand then global talent will migrate elsewhere and the UK will lose its position as a leader in innovation. I also think the key to success is to understand the end-user and the type of spaces and facilities they need now and in the future. We also need to bring communities with us at every step of the process, understand and address their concerns, identify common goals and promote the social and economic benefits of creating ‘Connected Communities’.

How can the physical/built environment encourage better innovation through collaboration between business, education, and communities?