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Staff Profile

Professor Tim Townshend

Professor of Urban Design for Health

  • Address: School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape
    Claremont Tower
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

Background:

Tim Townshend is Professor of Urban Design for Health and leader of the Global Urban Research Unit (GURU) 'Urban Design and Human Flourishing" theme in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape;

Tim has established a national/international profile in interdisciplinary health/built environment work through a steady output of publications that has crossed disciplinary divides. His work has been cited over 2500 times (as at Sept '17). Of particular note was the 2010 co-edited volume ‘Obesogenic Environments’ attracted contributions from Australia, USA, New Zealand and the Netherlands,  establishing an international context for Tim's work. His contribution to this volume made the case for interdisciplinary approaches to tackle contemporary health issues such as obesity. This is now widely accepted in the fields of public health and urban planning as evidenced by the growing number of interdisciplinary events in recent years. In 2013 the joint congress of the American Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) and Association of European Schools of Planning established a health track for the first time, for which Tim was the first track chair. In 2014 the major epidemiological conference the International Conference on Urban Health (ICUH) had its initial urban planning track, at which Tim was a keynote speaker.  

In the recent past Tim's research has moved beyond obesity to embrace other health and wellbeing issues, for example the development of the "Toxic High Street" concept -

Tim is a regular reviewer for journals from both urban planning and health and funding bodies.

Tim's work always attempts to maximise its impact and as such is always policy relevant. He has been a consultant on a series of national reports and policy documents and sits on a number of external committees and panels.

In 2014 his co-authored paper 'Obesogenic environments:exploring the built and food environments' - was the most downloaded article in Perspectives in Public Health - he received an award from the Royal Society of Public Health in January 2016 in recognition.  

  

Professional Memberships:

Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts


Google Scholar:

 

Research

Research Interests

Urban design; public space; and in particular links between the design of the built environment, health and well-being

Postgraduate Supervision

Tim Townshend currently has 5 PhD students


Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

TCP1018 Design Awareness and Communication
TCP3024 Urban Design Option

Postgraduate Teaching

TCP8091 Principles and Practice of Urban Design
TCP8912 Urban Design and Conservation Project
ARC8045 Urban Design Project 1
ARC8063 Urban Design Project 2
ARC8065 European Study Visit

Publications

  • Articles

    • Townshend T, Boyland E, Bradford C, Brown H, Moore H, Lake A. . Town Planning Review 2025, 96(6), 627-646.
    • Moore HJ, Lake AA, O'Malley CL, Bradford C, Gray N, Chang M, Matthews C, Townshend TG. . Perspectives in Public Health 2024, 144(1), 52-60.
    • Moore H, O'Malley C, Lloyd S, Butler M, Eskandari F, Rose K, Townshend T, Brown H, Clarkson D. Measuring the association between the opening of a new multi-national restaurant with young people's eating behaviours. Appetite 2024. In Preparation.
    • Gilroy R, Townshend T. . Journal of Urban Design 2025, 30(2), 143-152.
    • Bradford CPJ, O'Malley CL, Moore HJ, Gray N, Townshend TG, Chang M, Mathews C, Lake AA. . Nutrition Bulletin 2024, 49(2), 180-188.
    • O'Malley C, Lake A, Moore H, Gray N, Bradford C, Petrokofsky C, Papadaki A, Spence S, Lloyd S, Chang M, Townshend T. . Perspectives in Public Health 2023, 143(6), 313-323.
    • O'Malley C, Lake A, Townshend TG, Moore H. . Perspectives in Public Health 2021, 141(5), 269-278.
    • Jeffries JM, Gilroy R, Townshend TG. . Journal of Urban Design 2020, 25(2), 254-274.
    • Carmichael L, Townshend T, Lock K, Ogilvie F, Fischer T, Petrokofsky C, Sheppard A, Sweeting D. . Land Use Policy 2019, 84, 154-162.
    • Jun Q, Yuping D, Townshend T. . Urban Planning International 2019, 34(6), 100-114.
    • Roe MH, Townshend T, Davies C, Ward Thompson C, Gulsrud NM, Qin Q. . Town and Country Planning 2018, 87(7).
    • Wilkie S, Townshend T, Thompson M, Ling J. The impact of built environment restructuring projects on adult health behaviours: A scoping review from a behaviour change perspective. Health and Place 2018, TBC. Submitted.
    • Wilkie S, Townshend T, Thompson E, Ling J. . Cities and Health 2018, 2(2), 198-211.
    • Sanil T, Townshend T. . European Planning Studies 2018, 26(6), 1242-1268.
    • Lake AA, Henderson E, Townshend TG. . Cities and Health 2018, 1(2), 185-193.
    • Townshend TG. . Journal of Urban Design 2017, 22(2), 167-186.
    • Townshend T, Lake A. . Perspectives in Public Health 2017, 137(1), 38-44.
    • Tyrrell RL, Townshend TG, Adamson AJ, Lake AA. . Journal of Public Health 2016, 38(2), 289-299.
    • Gallo RG, Townshend TG, Lake AA. . Urban Design International 2015, 20(1), 28-43.
    • Setaih K, Hamza N, Mohammed M, Dudek S, Townshend T. . Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITCon) 2014, 19, 248-269.
    • Townshend TG. . Social Science and Medicine 2013, 91, 153-161.
    • Roberts M, Townshed TG. . Planning Theory and Practice 2013, 14(4), 455-469.
    • Lake AA, Townshend TG. . Journal of Public Health 2013, 35(1), 57-66.
    • Townshend TG, Roberts M. . Journal of Urban Design 2013, 18(4), 494-516.
    • Townshend TG, Lake AA. . Journal of Urban Design 2011, 16(3), 351-367.
    • Townshend T, Lake AA. . Health & Place 2009, 15(4), 909-916.
    • Lake AA, Townshend T, Alvanides S, Stamp E, Adamson AJ. . Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2009, 22(5), 444-454.
    • Townshend TG, Madanipour A. . Journal of Urban Design 2008, 13(3), 317-328.
    • Gilroy R, Pendlebury J, Townshend T. . DOCOMOMO Journal 2008, 39, 59-63.
    • Townshend T. . International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 2007, 2(2), 222-238.
    • Townshend T, Lake AA. . Town and Country Planning 2007, 76(2), 62-63.
    • Lake AA, Townshend T. . Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 2006, 126(6), 262-267.
    • Townshend T. . Housing Studies 2006, 21(4), 501-521.
    • Townshend T, Gilroy RC, Pendlebury JR. . International Journal of Heritage Studies 2004, 10(1), 11-31.
    • Pain R, Townshend T. . Geoforum 2002, 33(1), 105-119.
    • Townshend TG, Pendlebury J. . Journal of Architectural Conservation 1999, 5(2), 72-87.
    • Townshend T, Pendlebury J. . Journal of Urban Design 1999, 4(3), 313-331.
    • Townshend TG. Safer City Centres: The Role of Public Lighting. Oc, T. & Tiesdell, S. Ed. Safer city Centres: Reviving the Public Realm, Paul Chapman Publishing, London, 119-129 1997.

  • Authored Books

    • Cullingworth B, Davoudi S, Webb D, Vigar G, Pendlebury J, Townshend T, Gkartzios M, Hart T, Nadin V. . London: Routledge, 2024.
    • Townshend T. Healthy Cities? Design for Well-being. London: Lund Humphries, 2022. In Preparation.
    • Cullingworth B, Nadin V, Hart T, Davoudi S, Pendlebury J, Vigar G, Webb D, Townshend T. . Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2015.
    • Lake AA, Townshend TG, Alvanides S. . John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2013.

  • Book Chapters

    • Abdul Aziz F, Speak S, Townshend T. . In: Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation. Springer Nature, 2020, pp.515-526.
    • Townshend TG. . In: Moccia, FD; Sepe, M, ed. Retie einfrastrutture dei territori contemporanei. Rome, Italy: INU Edizioni, 2016.
    • Townshend TG, Gallo R, Lake AA. . In: Barton, H; Grant, M; Thompson, S; Burgess, S, ed. The Routledge Handbook of Planning for Health and Well-being. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2015.
    • Townshend TG. . In: Cooper, R; Burton, E; Cooper, CL, ed. Wellbeing: A Complete Reference Guide, Volume II, Wellbeing and the Environment. Oxford, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2014, pp.219-248.
    • Townshend TG. . In: Cullingworth , B et al, ed. Town and Country Planning in the UK. London, UK: Routledge, 2014.
    • Townshend TG, Ells L, Alvanides S, Lake AA. . In: Obesogenic Environments: Complexities, Perceptions and Objective Measures. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2013, pp.11-20.
    • Alvanides S, Townshend TG, Lake AA. . In: Obesogenic Environments: Complexities, Perceptions and Objective Measures. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2013, pp.215-220.
    • Townshend TG. . In: Crawford, D; Jeffery, RW.; Ball, K; Brug, J, ed. Obesity Epidemiology: from aetiology to public health. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
    • Alvanides S, Townshend TG, Lake AA. . In: Lake, AA; Townshend, TG; Alvanides, S, ed. Obesogenic Environments. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010, pp.215-219.
    • Pendlebury J, Townshend TG, Gilroy RC. . In: Gibson L; Pendlebury J, ed. Valuing Historic Environments. Farnham: Ashgate, 2009, pp.179-200.
    • Townshend T, Lake AA. . In: Babalis D, ed. Ecopolis: Conceptualising and Defining Sustainable Design. Florence: Alinea, 2007.
    • Larkham P, Pendlebury J, Townshend T. . In: Rydin, Y., Thornley, T, ed. Planning in the UK: Agendas for the New Millennium. Ashgate: Aldershot, 2002, pp.237-256.
    • Townshend T, Madanipour A. . In: Greed, C; Roberts, M, ed. Approaching Urban Design: The Design Process. Harlow: Longman Pearson Education, 2001, pp.132-40.
    • Townshend TG. . In: Benson, J.F. & Roe, M.H, ed. Urban Lifestyles: Spaces, Places, People. Rotterdam, Brookfield: A.A. Balkema, 2000, pp.221-228.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Setaih K, Mohammed A, Hamza N, Dudek S, Townshend T. . In: Digital Crafting, the 7th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computer Aided Architectural Design (ASCAAD). 2014, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Department of Architecture, Effat University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    • Setaih K, Hamza N, Townsend T. . In: 11th International Postgraduate Research Conference (IPGRC 2013). 2013, Manchester, UK: School of Built Environment, University of Salford.
    • Setaih K, Hamza N, Townshend T. . In: SB13 Dubai international conference. 2013, Dubai, UAE.
    • Setaih K, Hamza N, Townshend T. . In: Building Simulation 2013 (BS2013) : 13th Conference of International Building Performance Simulation Association. 2013, Chambéry, France.
    • Lake AA, Brookes G, Townshend T, Adamson AJ. . In: Planning and designing healthy public outdoor spaces for young people in the 21st century. 2006, Bristol, UK.
    • Townshend T. . In: Sustainable Development and Planning. 2005, Bologna, Italy: WIT Press.
    • Townshend T. . In: Urban Lifestyles: Spaces, Places, People: Proceedings of an international conference on cities in the new millennium. 2000, University of Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: A A Balkema.

  • Edited Book

    • Lake AA, Townshend TG, Alvanides S, ed. . London, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2010.

  • Editorials

    • Townshend TG. . Journal of Urban Design 2020, 25(2), 181-185.
    • Walsh CL. . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Engineering Sustainability 2020, 173(4), 161-162.
    • Roberts M, Townshend TG. . Journal of Urban Design 2017, 22(2), 133-136.
    • Townshend TG. . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Urban Design and Planning 2015, 168(4), 159-160.

  • Reports

    • Townshend TG, Madani-Pour A, Roe MH. . 2006. Final Report.
    • Townshend T, Alderson P. . Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne: Â鶹´«Ã½, 2005. Electronic Working Documents.

  • Reviews

    • Townshend T. . Journal of Urban Design 2019, 24(1), 75-77.
    • Townshend T, Roe M, Davies C, Qin Q. . WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment 2018, 217, 203-211.
    • Townshend TG. . Landscape Research 2015, 40(8), 1018-1019.