Creating spaces with communities in mind: Placemaking for future generations
- Wednesday 22 April 2026
- 17:30 - 19:00
- This event has passed
How can we design places that truly serve the needs of future generations?
Speaker
Derek Walker
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Join us for the next in our Public Lecture Series, with Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Derek Walker.
This lecture examines the transformative role of placemaking in creating vibrant, inclusive and climate resilient communities across Wales. Rooted in the principles of the world-leading Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, Derek will explore current challenges in infrastructure and shared spaces, while showcasing inspiring examples of community led innovation. Attendees will gain insight into how placemaking and collaborative design can build sustainable, people centred places that meet long term needs.
Derek Walker is the second Future Generations Commissioner. Having started the role on March 1st 2023, he called for ‘urgent and transformational change’ across the Nation, later launching his seven-year strategy ‘Cymru Can’ to inspire positive change.
Derek's earlier career includes:
- Spending 12 years as chief executive of Cwmpas, the UK’s largest co-operative development agency, working to support people and communities to create jobs and strengthen communities. Derek changed the organisation’s focus to development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.
- Policy officer for London Councils, in London and Brussels and has worked as Head of External Affairs at the Big Lottery Fund (Wales), as Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Wales TUC and was the first employee of Stonewall Cymru.
- Derek is a keen runner and tennis player, loves to read and is a Welsh learner. He lives in Cardiff with his partner Mike and has two grown-up children.
- His ambition while at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School was to be a journalist and he has a Masters degree in International Journalism from Cardiff University. He’s happy how life has turned out and says being a guardian of the interests of people not yet born is the greatest privilege.