Does it work? Does it actually serve the purpose it was meant to? Does it serve the community? Has it contributed to our cultural capital (I am a believer that we need to get our mojo back in terms of architecture and appreciate that our buildings – from houses to galleries, to churches – are part of our cultural capital and design is important). I think all these questions play a part in understanding if a project has stood the test of time.

Bell Phillips got our first international project from MIPIM with Stena, the opportunity to masterplan a new district in an old ball bearing factory in Gothenburg. It is a great opportunity to be here to meet and connect with city placemakers and developers from across Europe and the UK. But it is also about reconnecting with colleagues, collaborators and clients we already know. We are all here to meet and network so it is a much easier moment to do that. We don’t need to be dashing off back to our desks. And if we can have a good chat with fabulous people, friends old and new, that is a bonus. Tanisha Rafiuddin and I actually met here two years ago, which led to us setting up a networking initiative for women in the built environment and politics. But it is a secret initiative. So I can’t tell you more than that!!! We have stayed in touch ever since.

Architecture as a profession is political, especially in the sector I work in: placemaking and housing – including affordable. Seeing housing injustices led me into politics. I started campaigning for Priced Out and Generation Rent. This spurred me on in my professional life with the aspiration to create great places for everyone, no matter what income level. This belief has not wavered. The issue is how we can make change. In architecture we have to wait for the project to land on our desk before we can make change. To change the wider society, to ensure the brief is the brief that can make change, requires campaigning. I am part of the Architects Action for Affordable Housing campaign.

And sometimes it requires you to put your money where your mouth is and stand. I have stood as a PPC before and now I am a candidate to be a local councillor in Lewisham. I recently interviewed Peter John on my podcast Architects for Change, and he had been through a similar journey, wanting to become an MP then ending up in local government. He realised the way to make the most change is through local government. And that is what aligns most with me as an architect. How to change and improve communities and places is through local government. What is the medium to do that? Good placemakers and architects. So we need to bring the two together.

Why do you think there are so few architects in political life?
I think it is partly because of the time it takes to train. By the time you qualify you have spent years immersed in architecture school and practice, and the result is that we spend more time with architects and are less engaged with wider industries and public life. Politics is also quite cliquey and it can be difficult to feel comfortable getting involved if you are not already part of that world. But what we do as architects is inherently political. We are dealing with housing, planning, land use and the shaping of communities, all of which are political decisions.

Then there is throwing your hat in the ring. Standing is no mean feat. It requires a huge amount of time and energy, luckily outside normal working hours. I am lucky enough to have supportive co-directors and colleagues who understand that I need to be out on the doors of an evening and who are happy with my political leanings . In our industry there can also be conflicts. Not all clients will agree with my politics, for example, and that can make people hesitant to be open about their views. But if architects want to influence the future of our cities and address things like the housing crisis, we cannot just stay within our professional bubble. We need to engage with the wider political conversation as well.

Your name keeps coming up as a possible contender for RIBA President….

Hahaha. You are not the first person to mention this to me. A few peers in the profession have mentioned it. I think it is probably a result of my campaigning and trying to be a political voice in the profession. We shall see. Who would vote for me? 😄

An exciting time. We are continuing to gain projects in new cities and pushing for new sectors as well as housing. I am working on a 408 home scheme in Smithfield, Birmingham, and a student housing scheme in Manchester, amongst others. I love working in new cities. We have such a rich history in the UK and each city is unique. As part of that I have recently joined the Salford Design Review Panel, which will see me reviewing some major regeneration projects in Salford.