Mr Michael Westley
Profiles

Mr Michael Westley

Lecturer in Architecture

School of Art, Design and Architecture (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)

Biography

Biography

(University of Plymouth)Lecturer in Architecture,
Module Leader ARCH 653A & 775 Connecting Sustainable Practices & Advanced Connecting Sustainable Practice
(Westley Design- Landscape Architecture & Inclusive Design Practice) Practice Principal & Proprietor

Qualifications

BA (1st Class Honours) Landscape Architecture, Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture (Upper Second) , Diploma in Amenity Horticulture, Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (C.M.L.l.)

Chartered Landscape Architect, Michael Westley has 30 years experience of inclusive landscape design. Beside his University of Plymouth appointment as Associate Senior Lecturer, in the School of Architecture, Design & Environment, his expertise has lead to the following relevant appointments:

  • UK Design Council (CABE) (Built Environment Expert Panel,
  • Commission for Architecture Design & the Environment- Enabler Panel.
  • Design Review Panels for: Cornwall, Devon & Somerset and South West,
  • NHS Design Review Panel,
  • Principal - Groundwork Plymouth Area,
  • Groundwork Plymouth Area - ((founding) Principal Landscape Architect).
  • The Sensory Trust/ Eden Project - (Programme Manager / Inclusive Designer)
  • Cornwall Development Company- Health & Wellbeing Innovation Centre Board Member (2011-).
  • Visiting lecturer / External Examiner/ Research Collaborator in landscape & sustainability related subjects at Rhode Island School of Design, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Essex & Falmouth Universities & European Centre of Environment and Human Health at Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter.
  • Director- Westley Design Ltd.

Michael’s practice, Westley Design delivers inclusive landscape consultancy & training, specializing in: community based public space, healthcare & learning environments e.g.: general hospitals, specialist health care, primary health care, hospices, Children’s Centres, elder care and sheltered housing, secondary/ primary/ Early Years school settings. Westley Design works in partnership with client groups, makers and health & learning sector professionals, through innovative consultation & collaboration to create unique, accessible, multi-sensory places, benefitting user health and well-being of users.

Professional membership

C.M.L.I. (Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (U.K.)

F.H.E.A. (Fellow of the Higher Education Association (U.K.)
U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’

Roles on external bodies

Design Council (UK) Expert Panel- Health & Wellbeing 

Department of Health NHS Design Review Panel.

CABE Space Enabler- public space co-design & place analysis design & training for CABE ‘Spaceshaper’.

Play England Enabler- national training & consulting in play strategy & inclusive play design.

Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

  • Public space design – access and inclusion
  • Healing and care environments design
  • Learning environment design
  • Parks and play design
  • Gardens Design

Date Appointed to University of Plymouth: September 1994

Responsibilities; (Current )

Module Leader - Connecting Sustainable Practice ARCH 653a, Advanced Connecting Sustainable Practice ARCH 775 (Diploma 1st Year),

Studio Lead/ Design Tutor ‘Transformative’ Degree 2nd & 3rd Year, Studio Design Tutor Diploma 1st & 2nd Year.

RIBA External Part 3 (Architecture) Tutor / Study Supervisor- Alice Pomeroy (Plymouth University Graduate) (2018-2021)

RIBA External Part 3 (Architecture) Tutor / Study Supervisor- Amanda Allen ((2019-2022)

Sustainable residential & business landscape design

Responsibilities; (Past Summary)

Course Design development, management and delivery of ‘Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Design’ at Plymouth University (from 1994), including annual coursework output collaborations with live clients/ project briefs.

Course Design development, management and delivery of Landscape Design Option for Undergraduate Studios (Degree 2nd & 3rd Year), at Plymouth University (from 2001) including coursework output collaborations with live clients/ project briefs.

Course Design development, management and delivery of Post Graduate Theory Module ‘Connecting Sustainable Practice’ (Diploma 1st Year), at Plymouth University (from 2011)

Course Design development, management and delivery of Undergraduate Studios (Degree 2nd & 3rd Year), including ‘Infrastructure & Wellbeing’ & ‘Transformative’, at Plymouth University (from 2011) including coursework output collaborations with live clients/ project briefs.

Guest Lecturer at: Cambridge University School of Architecture, Queens University Belfast, Cardiff University, Rhode Island School of Design and University of Falmouth, European Centre for Environment & Human Health.

External Examining: University of Essex (Writtle College) Landscape Architecture programs (2012-2015) & University of Edinburgh (Scottish Agricultural College) Landscape Architecture (2014)

MA/PhD professional consultant: Dr Sarah Bell, ”Exploring perceptions and use of different environments- Implications for health, wellbeing and landscape design” (PhD 2012- October 2014) Research Fellow European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH, Westley Design ltd. & Cornwall Sports Partnership, secured ESF funding for a PhD exploring communities’ perceptions and use of greenspace areas, specifically looking at implications for landscape design, health and well-being. Michael Westley CMLI, Director Westley Design acted as professional consultant to the PhD. Supervisory team across the 3-year program)

Responsibilities; (Current )

Module Leader - Connecting Sustainable Practice ARCH 653a, Advanced Connecting Sustainable Practice ARCH 775 (Diploma 1st Year), 

Studio Lead/ Design Tutor ‘Transformative’ Degree 2nd & 3rd Year, Studio Design Tutor Diploma 1st & 2nd Year.

RIBA External Part 3 (Architecture) Tutor / Study Supervisor- Alice Pomeroy (Plymouth University Graduate) (2018-2021)

RIBA External Part 3 (Architecture) Tutor / Study Supervisor- Amanda Allen ((2019-2022)

Sustainable residential & business landscape design

Staff serving as external examiners

(past) External Examiner at University of Essex (Writtle College) on Landscape Architecture & Garden Design Programs

(past) External Examiner at University of Edenborough (Scottish Agricultural College) Garden Design Program

Research

Research

Research interests

Public space design – access and inclusion

Healing and care environments design

Learning environment design

Parks and play design

Sustainable residential & business landscape design

Other research

Previous

MA/PhD professional consultant: Dr Sarah Bell, ”Exploring perceptions and use of different environments- Implications for health, wellbeing and landscape design” (PhD 2012- October 2014) Research Fellow European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH, Westley Design ltd. & Cornwall Sports Partnership, secured ESF funding for a PhD exploring communities’ perceptions and use of greenspace areas, specifically looking at implications for landscape design, health and well-being. Michael Westley CMLI, Director Westley Design acted as professional consultant to the PhD. Supervisory team across the 3-year program)

·    ERC - European Research Council-‘Universalism, universal design and the designed environment’ (Goldsmiths, University of London) Research collaboration and joint publication (details tbc) focussed on Westley Design Ltd. Case study project ‘Cultivating Futures’ Connor Downs School, Hayle Cornwall (Peoples Millions Lottery). Program lead Professor Rob Imrie & Dr Charlotte Bates, Goldsmiths, University of London. March 2014 – December 2015

·     “Democratic Design for Improved Healthcare Outcomes through Therapeutic Gardens, Outdoor Placemaking, and Community Green infrastructure”. EDRA45 Building with Change (Environmental Design Research Association) Conference, New Orleans, May 2014. Contribution: Conference session/ paper joint authorship, and author of case studies with Winterbottom D., Wagenfeld A., Sachs N, & Hearing M.C.

·    “Wellbeing by Design: from gardens to green infrastructure” European Landscape Conference September 2016. Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. Contribution: conference paper co-author with Bell S. & presenter.

·    “Wellbeing by Design: Nature-based solutions towards well-being” Well-being Conference 2016: Co-Creating Pathways to Well-Being, the Third International Conference Exploring the Multi-Dimensions of Well-Being. Birmingham City University, Seacole Building, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TN- 5th September 2016. Contribution: conference paper co-author with Bell S.

·    “Wellbeing by Design from Green Infrastructure- Planning and Integration for Multiple Benefits”- Trees, People and the Built Environment 3 Conference 6th April 2017. Contribution: conference paper author

·    ERDF- European Centre for Environment & Human Health-‘In Residence Award 2013’ Michael worked with Cornwall Council, European Centre of Environment & Human Health & Cornwall NHS Trust to develop a methodology for embedding a Community Health & Wellbeing Strategy within individual Neighbourhood Plan Project linked to Strategic Greenspace Infrastructure planning through a Participatory Design GIS tool.

·    ERDF 2012-13 (Consortia Bid Award- Westley Design Ltd. with Pengelly Consulting) Interreg- Cordiale- Managing Landscape Change in Heritage Landscapes- Cornwall Devon, Dorset, Brittany & Normandy- On-line Resource/ Toolkit Compilation.

·    Rewilding education? Exploring an imagined and experienced outdoor learning space- Charlotte Bates- Journal Children's Geographies Published 19 September 2019 https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1673880. Contribution: Designer/ project manager of case study subject of paper and collaboration with papers author on interpretation of findings and results from site design and project implementation process.

·    “Everyday Green Space and Experienced Wellbeing: The Significance of Wildlife Encounters” Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis (Routledge) (refereed journal) (approved for publication) September 2016. Contribution: journal article co-author with Bell, S., Lovell, R. Westley, M.E. and Wheeler, BW.

·    “Let’s All Play!- Inclusive Designed Play-spaces: An Inter-professional Perspective” OT practice– Journal of Occupational Therapy U.S.) Publication issue- April 2014. Contribution: Editorial panel, Joint Authorship and illustration of case studies, with, Wagenfeld A. & Young D.

·    “Sensory Rich Education: Mike Westley addresses some of the implications in designing for…” Landscape Design -Journal of the Landscape Institute. No.317, p.p. 31-35 Publication date: 02/2003. Contribution: Author

·    “Public Health & Landscape – Creating Healthy Places”, UK Landscape Institute: (Contribution- Editorial panel and author of case studies) Published November 2013 (public released for sale, spring 2014)

 

·    “Easy Access to Historic Landscapes” Sensory Trust – Published by English Heritage / Historic England- 2005 – Contribution- case study analysis and illustrations to this publication. The publication was awarded the Landscape Institute’s Landscape Policy Award and President’s Award in 2006.

·    “Design for Healing Spaces Therapeutic Gardens”, Winterbottom D. & Wagenfeld A., Timber Press (Portland, Oregon & London) 2015. Contribution: Book, author of three case studies

2022

Future Plymouth series – Webinar presentations www.futureplymouth2030.co.uk

Various events for Design Council UK, e.g.:

Design Review Panel- Woolwich Leisure Centre 27th August 2021

Rethinking Mobility for Inclusive and Sustainable Futures- 14 10 October 2021

Design for Planet Festival- 8/9 11 2021

Related practice activity, e.g.:

Edison Centre/ Beechwood School- Autism Spectrum Learning / Care Environment, with Dept.s of Education & Psychology, University Plymouth

CobBauge Building/ Sustainability Hub landscape, with Interreg DeViz Centre for Sustainable Futures University of Plymouth


Research degrees awarded to supervised students

MA/PhD professional consultant: Dr Sarah Bell, ”Exploring perceptions and use of different environments- Implications for health, wellbeing and landscape design” (PhD 2012- October 2014) Research Fellow European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH, Westley Design ltd. & Cornwall Sports Partnership, secured ESF funding for a PhD exploring communities’ perceptions and use of greenspace areas, specifically looking at implications for landscape design, health and well-being. Michael Westley CMLI, Director Westley Design acted as professional consultant to the PhD. Supervisory team across the 3-year program)

Grants & contracts

See: Publications, Reports & Invited Activities, Conferences Organised, Other Academic Activities set out in the sections below

Examples of recent / current Professional Activities:

·    As well as his work at Plymouth University, Michael is Director of Westley Design Ltd. The practice portfolios engage with a range of commercial landscape architecture as well as Innovative consultation & collaboration with diverse client groups involving design & planning for inclusion sustainability & wellbeing with project work completed throughout the UK and Internationally.

·    Housing and Healthy Places reception, Wednesday 18 April 2018, Churchill Room, Houses of Parliament - As a U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’ I participated in this parliamentary event to highlight to MP’s the importance of good design in creating places that promote healthy lives.

·    South West Design Review Panel, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall Design Review Panels 2015-Mike Westley was appointed by these separate Design Review Panels to consider and advise on key development proposals being brought forward across the South West of England. With particular reference to current legislation, guidance and design in relation to inclusive/ sustainable/ green infrastructure and wellbeing design.

·    Inclusive Design Hub February 2014 Westley Design Ltd. was appointed by the Design Council U.K. to research & produce an Inclusive Design Hub (commissioned by DCLG) that brings together current legislation, guidance and information in relation to inclusive design (including signage and information) in the built environment. The audience will be the range of built environment disciplines plus other interested groups.

 

·    ERDF- European Centre for Environment & Human Health-‘In Residence Award 2013’ Westley Design Ltd. is currently working with Cornwall Council European Centre of Environment & Human Health & Cornwall NHS Trust to develop a methodology for embedding a Community Health & Wellbeing Strategy within individual Neighbourhood Plan Project linked to Strategic Greenspace Infrastructure planning through a Participatory Design GIS tool.

·    Design for wellbeing is a key area of practice, a recent example of this can be seen at North York Moors National Park Visitors Centre, Sutton Bank, where in 2015 Westley Design Ltd. completed the design and implementation management of an exciting new play learning & interpretation facility.


Creative practice & artistic projects

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT ROLES HELD: 

  • UK Design Council (CABE) (Built Environment Expert Panel,
  • Commission for Architecture Design & the Environment- Enabler Panel.
  • Design Review Panels for: Cornwall, Devon & Somerset and South West,
  • NHS Design Review Panel,
  • Principal - Groundwork Plymouth Area,
  • Groundwork Plymouth Area - ((founding) Principal Landscape Architect).
  • The Sensory Trust/ Eden Project - (Programme Manager / Inclusive Designer)
  • Cornwall Development Company- Health & Wellbeing Innovation Centre Board Member (2011-).
  • Visiting lecturer / External Examiner/ Research Collaborator in landscape & sustainability related subjects at Rhode Island School of Design, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Essex & Falmouth Universities & European Centre of Environment and Human Health at Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter.
  • Director- Westley Design Ltd.
Westley Design Ltd. Since 2005 – (Practice Principal/ Director)

Michael Westley's environmental consultancy, Westley Design, is collaborative - involving a broad range of designer-makers and development professionals in order to develop creative and holistic landscape solutions. This includes partnership based regeneration projects with residential communities, schools, health care environments, businesses and local authorities, often focusing on urban regeneration. Michael’s work attempts to create a sustainable relationship between people and place. The Inclusive landscape architecture consultancy, specialises in the following areas of work: 

  • Public Space Access & Inclusion
  • Healing & Care Environments
  • Learning Environments
  • Parks & Play
  • Gardens & Residential
  • Sustainable Business & Industry
  • Training, Research & Education

Clients have included:

  • Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust
  • Arts for Health (Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare Trust)
  • St.Rocco’s Hospice
  • CABE Space (Commission for Architecture & Built Environment)
  • Creating Excellence (Southwest)
  • Play England
  • London Borough of Southwark
  • Southampton City Council
  • Cornwall Council
  • Arts for Health (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly)



Publications

Publications

Other Publications

Paper - Building Bridges: Interdisciplinary Design Based Education Projects (Shared Visions Conference September 2002, University of Brighton)

Paper – Inclusive Healing Environments – Sensory Trust Case Studies (Critical Connections Health Care Arts Conference December 2002, Leeds General Hospital

Article – Sensory Rich Education (Landscape Design Magazine – February 2003 Issue 317)

Publication – English Heritage Access Guidance for Historic Landscapes, Sensory Trust, October 2004 (Landscape Institute Awards winner 2006)

Paper – CABE Healthy Environments Conference Week – Case Studies

Paper/ Workshops CABE Green Space Leaders Program – Inclusive Access to the Public Realm 2007

Paper/ Workshop – Qualitative Assessment of Public Space by Spaceshaper (CABE U.K.), Healthy Parks Healthy People – International Congress, Melbourne Australia April 2010

Personal

Personal

Reports & invited lectures

·    Housing and Healthy Places reception, Wednesday 18 April 2018, Churchill Room, Houses of Parliament - As a U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’ I participated in this parliamentary event to highlight to MP’s the importance of good design in creating places that promote healthy lives.

·    South West Design Review Panel, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall Design Review Panels 2015-Mike Westley was appointed by these separate Design Review Panels to consider and advise on key development proposals being brought forward across the South West of England. With particular reference to current legislation, guidance and design in relation to inclusive/ sustainable/ green infrastructure and wellbeing design.

·    Inclusive Design Hub February 2014 Westley Design Ltd. was appointed by the Design Council U.K. to research & produce an Inclusive Design Hub (commissioned by DCLG) that brings together current legislation, guidance and information in relation to inclusive design (including signage and information) in the built environment. The audience will be the range of built environment disciplines plus other interested groups.

Workshop – Creating Connections; People & Place & Lecture – The Eden Project As Rural Regeneration Mechanism (Mark Harrison Fund Series April / May 2003, Rhode Island School of Design)

Paper- Conference Partner Organisation ‘Projects’ Session – ‘Making Sense’ Inclusive environmental design and management; developing links between the environment and people’s health and well-being (D21 Design Agenda for the 21st Century, December 2004, Rio de Janeiro)

Poster & forum ‘Wellbeing by Design-3 healing landscape case studies & Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust’ at the Well-Being Conference Exploring the Multi-dimensions of Well-being at Birmingham University July 2011

Poster & forum workshop ’Wellbeing by Design – healing, placemaking’ at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH) Securing Children's Health & Wellbeing through Outdoor Play Conference, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro. September 2011

Workshop presentation ‘Connections between Craft, Sustainability and Wellbeing’, Connecting Craft and Communities Symposia, Dartington, Totnes. September 2011

Workshop presentation, Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH) Enterprise, Environment and Wellbeing Conference, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital Truro, Cornwall. October 2011.

Conferences organised

Public Parks Keep Out! Conference – Greenspace & Sensory Trust Nov 2003)

Other academic activities

U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’

Play England / CABESpace – Training Materials Design & Training Delivery 2006 - 2008

NHS Design Review Panel - Therapeutic Place-making, Quality of Place through Landscape Design- March 2008 

CABESpace – Spaceshaper Place Evaluation Tool & Methodology - development & trialling & training 2005 – 2011

(including training with Parks & Leisure Australia / Australian Heart Foundation 2010)

Examples of recent / current Professional Activities:

·    As well as his work at Plymouth University, Michael is Director of Westley Design Ltd. The practice portfolios engage with a range of commercial landscape architecture as well as Innovative consultation & collaboration with diverse client groups involving design & planning for inclusion sustainability & wellbeing with project work completed throughout the UK and Internationally.

·    Housing and Healthy Places reception, Wednesday 18 April 2018, Churchill Room, Houses of Parliament - As a U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’ I participated in this parliamentary event to highlight to MP’s the importance of good design in creating places that promote healthy lives.

·    South West Design Review Panel, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall Design Review Panels 2015-Mike Westley was appointed by these separate Design Review Panels to consider and advise on key development proposals being brought forward across the South West of England. With particular reference to current legislation, guidance and design in relation to inclusive/ sustainable/ green infrastructure and wellbeing design.

·    Inclusive Design Hub February 2014 Westley Design Ltd. was appointed by the Design Council U.K. to research & produce an Inclusive Design Hub (commissioned by DCLG) that brings together current legislation, guidance and information in relation to inclusive design (including signage and information) in the built environment. The audience will be the range of built environment disciplines plus other interested groups.

·    ERDF- European Centre for Environment & Human Health-‘In Residence Award 2013’ Westley Design Ltd. is currently working with Cornwall Council European Centre of Environment & Human Health & Cornwall NHS Trust to develop a methodology for embedding a Community Health & Wellbeing Strategy within individual Neighbourhood Plan Project linked to Strategic Greenspace Infrastructure planning through a Participatory Design GIS tool.

·    Design for wellbeing is a key area of practice, a recent example of this can be seen at North York Moors National Park Visitors Centre, Sutton Bank, where in 2015 Westley Design Ltd. completed the design and implementation management of an exciting new play learning & interpretation facility.

 

 

Additional information

Westley Design 2005 – (Practice Principal)

Michael Westley's environmental consultancy, Westley Design, is collaborative - involving a broad range of designer-makers and development professionals in order to develop creative and holistic landscape solutions. This includes partnership based regeneration projects with residential communities, schools, health care environments, businesses and local authorities, often focusing on urban regeneration. Michael’s work attempts to create a sustainable relationship between people and place. The Inclusive landscape architecture consultancy, specialises in the following areas of work: 

  • Public Space Access & Inclusion
  • Healing & Care Environments
  • Learning Environments
  • Parks & Play
  • Gardens & Residential
  • Sustainable Business & Industry
  • Training, Research & Education

Clients have included:

  • Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust
  • Arts for Health (Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare Trust)
  • St.Rocco’s Hospice
  • CABE Space (Commission for Architecture & Built Environment)
  • Creating Excellence (Southwest)
  • Play England
  • London Borough of Southwark
  • Southampton City Council
  • Cornwall Council
  • Arts for Health (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly)

Examples of recent / current Professional Activities:

·    As well as his work at Plymouth University, Michael is Director of Westley Design Ltd. The practice portfolios engage with a range of commercial landscape architecture as well as Innovative consultation & collaboration with diverse client groups involving design & planning for inclusion sustainability & wellbeing with project work completed throughout the UK and Internationally.

·    Housing and Healthy Places reception, Wednesday 18 April 2018, Churchill Room, Houses of Parliament - As a U.K. Design Council ‘Built Environment Expert Panel Member’ I participated in this parliamentary event to highlight to MP’s the importance of good design in creating places that promote healthy lives.

·    South West Design Review Panel, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall Design Review Panels 2015-Mike Westley was appointed by these separate Design Review Panels to consider and advise on key development proposals being brought forward across the South West of England. With particular reference to current legislation, guidance and design in relation to inclusive/ sustainable/ green infrastructure and wellbeing design.

·    Inclusive Design Hub February 2014 Westley Design Ltd. was appointed by the Design Council U.K. to research & produce an Inclusive Design Hub (commissioned by DCLG) that brings together current legislation, guidance and information in relation to inclusive design (including signage and information) in the built environment. The audience will be the range of built environment disciplines plus other interested groups.

·    ERDF- European Centre for Environment & Human Health-‘In Residence Award 2013’ Westley Design Ltd. is currently working with Cornwall Council European Centre of Environment & Human Health & Cornwall NHS Trust to develop a methodology for embedding a Community Health & Wellbeing Strategy within individual Neighbourhood Plan Project linked to Strategic Greenspace Infrastructure planning through a Participatory Design GIS tool.

·    Design for wellbeing is a key area of practice, a recent example of this can be seen at North York Moors National Park Visitors Centre, Sutton Bank, where in 2015 Westley Design Ltd. completed the design and implementation management of an exciting new play learning & interpretation facility.

Links

www.westleydesign.co.uk

www.cabe.org.uk

www.sensorytrust.org.uk