Coming Out and Going Out: Contemporary morphology of queer space in London Part 2 Dissertation 2025 Kiran Benning University of Nottingham Nottingham | UK This research investigates queer spatialisation in London, exploring queer space in both the urban scale and building scale. Through a cross-examination of two distinct “queer” urban areas, Soho and Dalston, the study examines how tangibly queer presence, memory, and heritage are embedded in the urban realm, how public space can be “queered,” and the ever-evolving “gay bar” typology. It observed that a distinction has emerged between the historic “homonormative” gay village, Soho, and authentically “queer” counter-sites, such as Dalston, accelerated by exoticisation, commercialisation, and gentrification.A nexus of variables is driving these changes to queer placemaking: internal divisions by sexuality, gender, race, class and age; regression of transgender rights; acceptance and fetishisation of queer culture; technological advancement altering how queer people socialise; economic conditions threatening the queer nighttime economy; and lack of protections safeguarding queer infrastructure and heritage.This research seeks to understand current iterations of queer space — and threats to their existence — to inform how spaces may evolve. The queer space is simultaneously a utopia, dystopia and heterotopia. Despite internal flaws and external struggles, queer space is imbued with idealism. Queer people will continually and resiliently construct and reconstruct new worlds in the city for sanctuary, community, and self-understanding. Tutor(s) Katharina Borsi Nick Haynes