And finally… mood mapping

The University of Glasgow’s UKRI AHRC Place Programme has developed the Felt Experience Resource Kit, a free toolkit designed to help councils and heritage groups understand the emotional and sensory connections communities have with their local heritage. Researchers say these “felt experiences”, the memories, moods and meanings attached to place, are essential for making regeneration more inclusive, sustainable and effective.

Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland, the kit translates six years of research across heritage, psychology and design into practical methods that anyone can use. One of the most successful tools is emoji mapping, where people place emoji stickers on maps to show where they feel happy, anxious, proud or uneasy. Patterns in these responses help identify what matters most to communities and where change is needed.

Professor Rebecca Madgin, who led the research team, said the kit distils academic theory into simple techniques that reveal how people feel about their environment, insights that can shape better decision‑making and support wellbeing and economic growth.

Pilot projects in Airdrie, Buckhaven, Girvan and Govan have already used the kit to explore emotions such as pride, loss and hope, helping regeneration teams understand the emotional landscape alongside the physical one.

The kit also includes a five‑step guide for heritage projects: asking the right questions, using emoji prompts, choosing simple engagement methods, spotting patterns in responses and using the findings to shape plans that reflect community needs.

The Felt Experience Resource Kit is now available to download, offering a new way for heritage and regeneration projects across Scotland to put people, and their feelings, at the heart of placemaking.