What makes us do this?
One morning last week I headed over to Leeds for a meeting with Jonathan Wilson and Chris Thompson of Citu, developers of an innovative mixed community at Leeds Climate Innovation District. We’ve had a lengthy relationship with, and admiration of, Citu – Chris did a workshop with us back in the dark Covid days of 2020 which is blogged here, and before that they were at YoCo’s founding event at York Design Week in 2019. Their Leeds development is to Passivhaus standards, with radical co-ownership of public space and the energy systems, largely built in timber frame from an on-site factory. They popped a new bridge across the Aire pretty much because they felt making the area more joined-up was a good thing. They’ve really taken some risks.
While I waited for YoCo pal Sarah to crack the challenge of finding a parking space in the midst of UKREiiF (the UK equivalent of property and money-fest MIPIM which is held annually in Cannes – so everyone wanders around in the drizzle in Leeds looking resentful) I asked Jonathan whether he was hearing different conversations around him than, say, ten years back. Was sustainability really the new agenda? His response was broadly “no” – he saw more events about “zero-carbon” and social impact, but largely the same people from the same organisations doing the same things – but just with a shift in vocabulary. He talked about Covid and how – briefly – we all seemed to do the right things. We changed – we did different stuff and the things which shaped our behaviour were different things. Hell, we sat waiting for instructions from Boris Johnson. It was extraordinary – and curiously hopeful. But as it passed, we failed to learn and transfer that mindset to the far greater next layer of danger – climate change.
Then he said:- “The curious thing is there’s so little feeling of crisis, nor willingness to engage. This generation – our generation – is the last which has the chance to actually have fun creating change to avoid climate disaster. For every subsequent generation, it’s not going to be fun at all. It’s going to be awful”.
That’s why Jonathan and Chris have spent years of their lives trying to change the places we build and the lives we live (and indeed why they live in the scheme they’ve built and rub shoulders with their neighbours, living those changed lives). Which led me to think about this upcoming event which our friends Joanne and Jane have been putting together for us which asks a key question – what is the real human impact of what we do with YoCo? How does this help us shape what we say to others?
We’re holding an informal event for all YoCo members on Thursday 27 June, 6.30 pm, at Spark York. Whether you’ve been involved from the beginning, are new to YoCo or simply dip in and out, let’s work together to find the inspiration and the language.
RSVP
To book your place please email yocoinformation@gmail.com - and if you’re not already a member please simply complete the online form here.
When?
Thursday 27 June from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.
Where?
Spark York, 17-21 Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9PB
