Creative, Livable and Sustainable Communities 

This cluster promotes research and public policies that focus upon the importance of place, creativity and quality of life in cities, towns, and regions for people and the economy.  A key assumption of the cluster is that successful advanced economies flourish in places with a creative, flexible, healthy, and innovative population and where cities and towns have a real sense of place, and cultural distinctiveness.  Place, urban planning, well-being, public policy, creativity and the economy are invariably connected.  The linkages between sustainable land-use and transportation design, the mitigation of climate change, social capital, health and well-being, creativity, active transport, public policy, urban designs that enable ageing-in-place, culture, the arts, and economic vitality will be prioritised.  In addition, the cluster will focus upon business, management, and public policy issues associated with Ireland’s transition toward smart cities and towns, and a low-carbon, economy and society.

Bringing together researchers from the Schools of Business, Social Sciences and the Humanities this cluster will draw on the resources of all participants to create a unique research environment that will critically engage with a number of the Institute’s priority areas. Culture and its connection to Place will be explored, on one level, through research on the Creative Industries. Increasingly recognized as crucial to a vibrant economy research here will build on previous work that highlighted issues of export capability and labour supply. It is expected that innovative and creative activities will mark Ireland’s future trajectory relative to competing countries. Distinctiveness of place, enabled by a vibrant culture (in its broadest sense, from education to innovation) will be crucial to future success nationally and internationally.

Cluster Leaders: Prof. Kevin Leyden and Dr. Pat Collins

Cluster Members

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