Centre for Place
Exploring the complex relationships between people and place
The Centre for Place is an interdisciplinary research hub that tackles contemporary societal and global challenges through place-based inquiry.
The Centre integrates creative placemaking, arts–health research, and advanced quantitative methods within robust humanities and social science frameworks.
The Centre for Place seeks to become a world leader in place-based research, emphasising the importance of place in shaping communities and individuals, and providing innovative, interdisciplinary solutions to urgent global research challenges.
Professor Katharine Willis
Co-Director of the Centre for Place
Centring the role of place
The Centre explores how place shapes people’s lives — not only through physical environments, but through cultural, historical, and emotional connections.
Our research examines how place influences health, education, social cohesion, resilience, and the role of arts and culture in placemaking.
We combine innovative quantitative methods (including longitudinal, big data and geospatial analysis) with qualitative, co-design, and creative approaches.
Addressing global challenges
The Centre contributes to global conversations on place-based research, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, UN-Habitat, and the priorities of UKRI, AHRC, and ESRC.
We generate robust evidence to inform policy on inclusive, sustainable, and resilient communities, with a focus on health, climate change, social justice, and the evaluation of public interventions and funding impact.
Global partnerships and regional impact
Partnerships are central to our work. We collaborate globally with organisations such as UN-Habitat and European research institutes, and nationally with networks and partners including the Key Cities Innovation Network, Creative UK, the National Trust, the NHS, and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.
Locally, we work in and with Plymouth through scalable partnerships with Plymouth City Council, Real Ideas Organisation, and The Box, including Arts Council–funded projects such as Sea For Yourself.
Co-design and community engagement
Co-creation sits at the heart of our approach. We work alongside place-based communities to deliver sustained, evidence-led impact, contributing directly to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
By embedding researchers within communities, we support genuine participation, build local capacity, and enable long-term change.
Research themes
Place-based innovation and regional development
Place, creativity and social justice
Place, digital and data
Future Neighbourhoods
In partnership with
Nudge Community Builders
, Professor Katharine Willis explored why we need to develop future neighbourhoods from the ground up to create truly inclusive environments for all of our citizens. During this hands-on workshop, we worked with community members to highlight how we can build strong and sustainable communities using technology as a driver for change.
The workshop was part of
FUTURES
, a festival of discovery that explores the past, creates the present, and imagines the future.
Showcasing the creative industries' growth and potential
The University of Plymouth contributed to 'The Creative Industries in the Great South West', a landmark report examining the region's distinctive strengths, emerging trends, and future potential across the creative industries.
The study spans sectors including arts, design, digital media, performance, and wider cultural enterprises throughout the South West.
UN-Habitat's partnership with universities worldwide
The University of Plymouth is proud to be a member of UN-Habitat's University Network Initiative (UNI), showcasing our commitment to promoting sustainable urban development worldwide. As part of this esteemed network, we work with universities, policymakers, and communities around the globe to tackle significant urban challenges, aiming to create a better future for cities and their residents.
Research team
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![Professor Katharine Willis Professor of Smart Cities and Communities]( "Professor Katharine Willis")
Professor Katharine Willis
Professor of Smart Cities and Communities
Co-Director of Centre for Place
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![Professor Clive Sabel Professor of Big Data and Spatial Science]( "Professor Clive Sabel")
Professor Clive Sabel
Professor of Big Data and Spatial Science
Co-Director of Centre for Place
In the news
University supports Plymouth’s bid to be UK City of Culture
A successful bid would unlock £10million in funding for a year-long cultural celebration of what makes the city so special
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![Key Cities Innovation Network - Culture, Place and Development report launch]()
University contributes to report focused on driving development through culture, creativity and placeProfessor Chris Bennewith and Professor Katharine Willis are among the authors of a publication produced by the Key Cities Innovation Network
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![Ariel view of Plymouth]()
Creative Coastal FuturesPlymouth features in nationwide Culture, Development & Place event
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![Cairo city with pyramids in the background]()
Plymouth research features at the World Urban Forum in CairoExploring the impacts of rapid urbanisation on cities, communities, economies, and climate change
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Related courses
Undergraduate
Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals
