SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
Research
UEL's Docklands Library has been home to the Refugee Council Archive since 2002 - a valuable collection documenting the lived experiences of refugees and migrants in London. Over the intervening decades, the collection has expanded as researchers collected life history narratives from displaced persons in east London and developed community-focused archiving methodologies to complement the collection. A collaborative project between the archives and Dr Rumana Hashem from the UEL Centre for Migration, Refugees, and Belonging led to the creation of the Living Refugee Archive, an online platform that facilitates and promotes access to the existing archival collections. The Living Refugee Archive publishes an open-access biannual journal, Displaced Voices: A Journal on Migration, Archives, and Cultural Heritage, featuring articles which engage with the collection.
Teaching
UEL’s School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering (ACE) is dedicated to producing graduates with the skills to design for the climate emergency.
In 2023, Unit 8 of the professionally accredited MArch programme adopted the theme of Learning from Lanzarote: An Embassy for the Climate Diaspora. In this unit, students were challenged to explore radical solutions to pressing issues of climate breakdown, including severe droughts, overheating, aridification, and the impact of these environmental changes on migration patterns. They were tasked with designing an Embassy for the Climate Diaspora in Lanzarote, which included temporary accommodation for climatic refugees and ecotourists, as well as a public Laboratory for Combatting the Climate Crisis. Through their projects, students learned about innovative, locally sourced materials, passive heating and cooling strategies, and the role of architecture within complex social and environmental interactions.
Operations
UEL provides free public access to a number of walkways, natural landscapes, and cultural heritage sites across its campuses. The historic Stratford campus features a publicly accessible green space and a Grade II-listed sculpture of William Shakespeare outside University House, a 19th-century building in Renaissance Revival style.
The Docklands Campus, located in the historic Royal Docks area, encourages pedestrian use and hosts numerous walkways, including a major section of the Capital Ring trail from Beckton District Park to Woolwich.
Outreach
Way Out East is UEL’s public gallery. First opened in 2019 and further expanded in 2022, Way Out East showcases the work of both students and external creatives through regular exhibitions.
Situated at UEL’s Docklands Campus, the gallery seeks to explore creativity to its fullest and offers a welcoming space for both UEL students and visitors. In 2023, Way Out East won the Outstanding Initiative in Community Cohesion at the East London Community Heroes 2023 award. The commendation recognises community organisations that bring together people of different ages and backgrounds to address local issues.