Walking the Walk

A sustainable urbanism themed audio tour of Marylebone

Given the climate and biodiversity crises we currently face, there is an urgent need to make urban environments more sustainable.

This walking tour has been produced to raise awareness of key issues, and to highlight ways that cities can be redesigned to prioritise sustainability principles. In line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, there is a particular focus on inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability.

Following this route through central London will encourage you to reflect on the significance of the places you are passing through. Learning through walking is a long established practice, and one that fits the University of Westminster’s commitment to active, experimental education. The tour links two of the University’s campuses in central London, and we hope it will encourage staff and students to walk between sites.

The University of Westminster

The tour has been produced to showcase the research expertise of members of the University of Westminster’s Sustainable Cities and the Urban Environment Research Community (SCUE) . The University has an impressive track record of urban and sustainability research and many of the themes covered here — from air pollution to active travel — are fields in which the University offers considerable expertise.

Route Notes

There are ten listening points on this guide

Find out more about the route and listening point below:

Listening Point 1 - Marylebone road monitoring station

Listening Point 2 - Paddington Street Gardens public toilets

Listening Point 3 - Paddington Street Gardens

Listening Point 4 - Marylebone High Street

Listening Point 5 - Manchester Square

Listening Point 6 - Hinde Street

Listening Point 7 - Marylebone Lane

Listening Point 8 - Wigmore Place

Listening Point 9 - Cavendish Square

Listening point 10 - 309 Regent Street

Meet your tour guide

Andrew Smith is Professor of Urban Experiences at the University of Westminster. He leads one of the University four cross-disciplinary research communities - the one dedicated  to Sustainable Cities and the Urban Environment.  He is based in the School of Architecture and Cities and contributes to the School's Place and Experience Research Group.

Andrew's research covers the visitor and experience economies and his work analyses city events and urban tourism using a geographical perspective. He is particularly interested in contested public spaces, and his work on the commercialisation of London's parks has featured in pieces for The Guardian, ITV News, and Radio 4.

Andrew has written and co-edited six books, including two recent volumes published open access by University of Westminster Press: Destination London: the Expansion of the Visitor Economy; and Festivals and the City: the Contested Geographies of Urban Events.