Geoff Vigar

Geoff Vigar serves as Professor of Urban Planning in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape and co-leader of the Digital Local Democracy theme within Open Lab's Digital Economy Research Centre. His work centers on designing institutions for collaborative urban governance, with increasing emphasis on direct community engagement through neighbourhood planning initiatives.

Research Focus: His scholarship critically evaluates how digital methods—deployed alongside traditional participation technologies—can amplify marginalized voices in planning systems. Key investigations include conflict emergence/management in participatory processes, transformation of public input into actionable planning knowledge, and political demands placed on citizens through participatory governance. This bridges institutional analysis of local government practices with grassroots community planning.

Research Infrastructure: As co-leader of the Digital Local Democracy theme, he directs initiatives exploring hybrid digital-physical engagement tools for inclusive urban decision-making within Open Lab's ecosystem, positioning his work at the intersection of planning theory, democratic innovation, and digital technology.