Catalina Ionita to lead Manchester Women in Planning Tour on 16th July 2025

On 16 July, Catalina Ionita, Senior Architect at Chapman Taylor, will lead a special placemaking walking tour through Manchester city centre as part of the Northwest Women in Planning programme. Aimed at planning professionals, urban designers, and local authority officers, the event will explore how artificial intelligence can be used to reimagine and activate public spaces.

Before and After

Beginning at Chapman Taylor’s Manchester studio in Castlefield, the 90-minute walk will visit key city centre locations, where Catalina will share AI-generated visual experiments from her #ReimaginePlaces series. These thought-provoking visuals will serve as conversation starters to explore how urban design can better support human-centred, connected, and responsive environments.

Before and After

The tour will invite participants to reflect on how we experience the city and how planning might evolve to respond more sensitively to the unique character and potential of place.

  • Start Point: Chapman Taylor, Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4LZ
  • Start Time: 08:30
  • Duration: 1.5 hours
  • End Point: The Black Friar, 41–43 Blackfriars Road, Salford M3 7DB

To join the event, register here.

We look forward to welcoming you for a morning of exploration, insight, and creative placemaking dialogue.

Dr Catalina Ionita (BA(Hons) MArch ARB RIBA AFHEA)

Senior Architect, UK

Catalina joined the Manchester studio in 2021 as an Architect supporting the Feasibility team. She brings a passion for successful placemaking to her work in the residential and mixed-use sectors.

She has experience working on a wide range of projects at all work stages, including large residential developments, masterplans, offices, and listed building restorations.

Cat is also a Women in Property North West committee member with a strategic role as Inclusion Champion. For one day a week, she teaches a Masters of Architecture and Urban Design course at the Manchester School of Architecture.

In 2024, she completed a PhD in Urban Activation and Placemaking from Sheffield Hallam University.

Areas of expertise:

Placemaking / Residential / Mixed-Use / Research

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