Coastal Summit

Ed organised and hosted the first Coastal Summit in February 2026 at the centre for Spatial and Digital Ecologies.

The Coastal Summit brought leading designers, scientists, artists, and researchers together with community organisations, government departments, and policy experts to discuss the tidal Thames and its relationship with the North Sea. Within the many challenges confronting coastal communities, the summit focused on experimental spatial approaches – from architectural designs to artist interventions and from ecological strategies to engineering plans – that could address a future where rising sea levels and coastal erosion meets agendas for urban growth and technological change. Bringing creative industries into coastal planning is vital, as their design-led approaches can generate innovative, inclusive, and practical responses to the challenges of rising seas and future growth. The summit highlighted how creative arts and design practices can inform future planning decisions and policy.

The summit included: Introduction by Ed Wall and Maria Korolkova (University of Greenwich)Presentation by Andrew Merritt (Something and Sons), response by Dave Cuthbertson (Environment Agency); Workshop by Ruth Catlow (Furtherfield); Presentation by Louis Nixon (Norwich University of the Arts), response by Victoria Leslie (University of Greenwich); Presentation by John Hartley (Cement Fields), response by Maisie Richards Cottell (Royal Borough of Greenwich); Workshop by Audrey Samson and Francisco Gallardo (FRAUD); Presentation by Kira Bre Clingen (University of Greenwich/Harvard GSD Office for Urbanization), response by Thea Behrman (Estuary Festival); Summary by Fenella Griffin (Untitled Practice); Closing by Ed Wall (University of Greenwich).

The summit was generously supported by the Institute for Inclusive Communities and Environments at the University of Greenwich.