Architects learn to design out terrorism

Students at the University of the West of England (UWE) are taking part in specialist training being run by the national Counter-Terrorism Security Office/Security Service.

The Postgraduate Planning and Urban Design students are the first in the UK to take part in the unique training sessions to educate planners, architects and urban designers on how to reduce the impact terrorism has on buildings they design.

The initiative works in line with a report on security and design produced by Security Minister Lord West in November last year. The training aims to identify measures that will lead to further developments in areas where terrorist attacks are most likely. Seminars also consider possible legal ramifications if counter terrorism measures have not been considered at the design stage.

Pete Naish, a counter-terrorism security advisor at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, is coordinating the training. “We believe that there are many areas in which we can improve design to protect people and important infrastructure. By looking ahead to the future, we as designers and planners can make our buildings and our cities safer for those who live and work in them.”

Sandra Manley, UWE planning lecturer, said: “There are recent examples such as the attack at Glasgow Airport in July 2007 where important buildings have been very vulnerable to terrorist attack. There are also buildings – such as football stadia – where large numbers of people gather where the use of anti-terrorism measures in the design could be an important factor.”