The Martin Centre Research Seminar - Dr Lakshmi Priya Rajendran

The Martin Centre Research Seminars - Easter Term Seminar 3

We are delighted to welcome Dr Lakshmi Priya Rajendran (Associate Professor in Environmental and Spatial Equity, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London), who will give a talk on:

'Everyday Micro-Resilience and Social Capital: Towards an Alternative Southern Urban Design Framework'

Talk Abstract:

This presentation explores the everyday spatial practices and social dynamics in peri-urban areas of Chennai, India, to propose an alternative Southern Urban Design Framework. Drawing on case study insights, it highlights how micro-resilience and social capital are embedded in informal negotiations, flexible uses of public spaces, and community-driven adaptations. Moving beyond formal planning paradigms, the research demonstrates how lived experiences in the Global South generate resilient and inclusive urban forms. The findings argue for a shift towards locally grounded, socially embedded urban design approaches that foreground everyday practices as vital resources for promoting resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainable urban futures.

Bio:

Dr. Lakshmi Priya Rajendran is Associate Professor in Environmental and Spatial Equity and Co-Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. Her research and teaching engage with city imaginaries, decoloniality, spatial representation, identity negotiations, and cultural encounters in contemporary cities, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary and comparative studies in the Global South. She is the Co-founder and Director of Decolab, a decolonial global collaboratorium fostering disruptive thinking for equitable futures. Lakshmi also serves as Co-Chair for UCL’s Environment Research Domain and Academic Co-Chair for the UCL Advisory Group on Climate Change and Health.