A Sense of Place: Silicon Valley

In January 2025, then Chancellor Rachel Reeves, when announcing £500 Million of Government investment into the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor, stated that the region “has the potential to be Europe's Silicon Valley. The home of British innovation.”

After receiving funding from the California based Scott Foundation, across May and June of 2026, A Sense of Place expanded to conduct research in the San Francisco Bay Area, to compare the social and community impacts of technology development in Cambridge and Silicon Valley.

This webpage serves as the fieldwork repository, with reports, blogs and insights uploaded as they are completed.

From Silicon Valley to Silicon Fen

On the 23rd July, 2026, Will gave a talk at the Cambridge Room summarising his research in California. Click the image right to see the slides.

A Sense of Place hits the press!

When in California, Will was fortunate enough to be interviewed by the lovely folks at Mission Village Voice based in San Juan Bautista.

Our discussion covered a wide range of topics, from the similarities and differences between Cambridge and California, the importance of building homes (not just houses) and the role of social space in building community.

The interview can be found on pages 12 and 13 of their July issue. Click the image on the left to read it for your self.

20260616_112547(1).jpg

A Sense of Place

Made with Squarespace

About

Cambridge Development Map

Walks and Events