Dr. Philip Lawton
Philip Lawton (School of Natural Sciences) is an urban social geographer whose research has examined the connection between urban social change and urban governance. In drawing upon the ideal of the 'European city' as it has been implemented by planners, architects and associated professionals, he has looked at the relationship between everyday mobility - walkability, cycling, rail infrastructure - and policies focused on compact urbanism in Ireland and The Netherlands. His NESC-funded research looked specifically at the relationship between the planning ideals of compact urbanism in the case of Adamstown, County Dublin. This work highlighted the necessity of regional governance to achieve the aims of sustainable mobility, and particularly that of developing a sustainable new town focused on rail-based transit and walkability in a mixed-use environment.
