

The Architecture of Trust: The Missing Discipline in National Security
Britain has rediscovered the language of defence. Hardly a day passes without discussion of military spending, cyber security, artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure or the growing instability of the international order. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed how European governments think about security, and rightly so. States have an obligation to protect their citizens from external threats, and few would now argue against the need for credible ar


The Era of Peacebuilding Has Not Ended. It Has Moved Home
Why the built environment matters in an age of deterrence For much of the past three decades, Western governments believed that peace could be built. The language of international policy reflected that confidence. Democracy promotion, humanitarian assistance, institution building and post-conflict reconstruction became the dominant vocabulary of security. Architects, planners, conservationists and humanitarian organisations found themselves contributing to that ambition by re


Lumbini: Where Peace Begins with Place
by Frazer Macdonald Hay Introduction I was deeply grateful to the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund ( CPF ) and ICOMOS for the opportunity to contribute to the ICOMOS Annual General Assembly and Scientific Symposium 2025 in Lumbini, Nepal , a place whose serenity conceals a profound lesson about the relationship between peace, place, and humanity. It was a privilege to share my work on peacebuilding through place alongside heritage professionals, scholars, and p


Mariupol Reborn: Leadership, Home, and Recovery in Exile
How Mayor Vadym Boichenko is guiding the city’s displaced population and planning its post-war revival, emphasising the centrality of...


Connected by Place, Powered by People: The NoDE Approach
Written by #Frazermacdonaldhay In cities, towns, and rural areas across the world, communities are facing a shared crisis — not just of...


Overwhelmed by the News? Let Your Sense of Place Restore a Little Balance
In a world saturated with news of political manipulation, human hardship, cynical criticism, and foreboding fear, it can be difficult to...


The Silent Crisis: Rural Depopulation’s Impact
Text and Images by Frazer Macdonald Hay During some research and after reading the article Stop rural depopulation! Tourism is not the...


Facing Change Together in Jordan
By #FrazerMacdonaldHay Quick read: Conference Summary: Facing Change, Jordan — December 2024 I had the privilege of speaking at the...


The Threshold Between The Everyday and The Nonpareil
Written by #FrazerMacdonaldHay This text explores the rich potential of the threshold space between the everyday and the exceptional...


Befriending our Existing Concrete
Text by #FrazerMacdonaldHay Quick Read: In an age of climate crisis and cultural amnesia, concrete is often misunderstood—viewed as a...

















