Public Practice: Translating architectural skills into public sector impact

For the last few years working as an architect, I was looking for a new direction and redefinition of architectural practice. Alongside managing a major regeneration project through a complex construction phase, I was working as a tutor at the University of Sheffield’s school of architecture. Inevitably, listening to and understanding the motivations of my students for pursuing architecture became a catalyst for revisiting my own.

I had been working in practice post-studies for around ten years and was reflecting on the scope of my own role. As I had progressed, I found myself increasingly working at the construction end of things. At this stage of the process, it can feel very far away from shaping outcomes for people, and I felt the value I was adding was harder to define – a sentiment I found echoed by many of my peers.

Underpinning my work and personal interests has been the social role of architecture and the built environment, along with the inherently political nature of what it means to create places for people. My personal brief then was to find a role where I could have more agency to meaningfully impact and contribute to public value in the places I was involved in creating.

Public Practice had already been on my radar prior to its expansion outside the south-east. Luckily, timings aligned and, at the point I decided to pursue a new career direction, they had just opened up applications across England. I applied, and just over a year later started a new role at Calderdale Council as a programme manager in economy, housing and investment.

Expanding the architect’s role

My role picks up the wider scope of regeneration activities beyond the capital projects that are in the realm of architecture. I work with teams internal to the council and with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to make sure actions are joined up across areas like economy, business, employment, housing, culture and climate. This involves identifying shared outcomes, making sure the impact of funding is maximised, and ensuring that the priorities of places in Calderdale are reflected in the wider agenda for the West Yorkshire region.

Placing architecture in this wider system has been revealing, and it has made me relook at how architectural skills can add value in different settings. In the very early days, aside from getting my head around the structure and functions of the council and devolved authority, a lot of time was spent on translating all the ‘architectural’ skills that had become second nature. The ones architects use on a daily basis but perhaps forget to recognise. They aren’t the technical production of drawing packages or visual communication but the skills in design thinking, critical enquiry, future thinking, collaboration and distilling complex information into manageable insights.

The year-long learning and development programme with Public Practice equipped me with essential knowledge

A lot of my role has been focused on understanding the working functions of devolution – how partner local authorities work together, implementing connected funding programmes and recognising the overlay of objectives across disciplines and places. This has brought into focus the complexity of some of the social challenges that we face, the need for longer-term funding at local authority level to address these, and the power of local place-based knowledge as an opportunity to tackle interrelated issues.

Fostering collaboration and co-production

Facilitating collaboration has been central to my role, and in comparison to my experiences in practice, the reality of siloed working has been challenging. This is an understandable effect of an institution with such a breadth of remit and in circumstances where officers are working hard to push things forward with reduced public funding but increased public need. I have been lucky to work for a local authority where they are committed to co-production, partnership working and developing projects and policies that cross departments.

Driving change on the ground

Working with inclusive economy colleagues, I have had the opportunity to look at strategic placemaking in North Halifax, introducing a framework and toolkit to aid strategy and project development there. This work began as an observation of how different actors talk about the same places and issues, using different terms and frames of reference.

Researching and then introducing the ‘Place Standard’ toolkit across different teams has been a way of implementing a consistent method to talk about the physical and social aspects of a place. It is an ongoing process of building consensus to streamline engagement and collaboration, allowing people to capture perceptions of place and record, track and revisit change.

Engaging with other local authorities and organisations already using this approach has highlighted its potential – from project development and defining shared outcomes to fostering cohesion, well-being, and citizen democracy.

Another project I have really enjoyed working on, and more closely connected to my architectural background, has been early-stage work to commission a spatial vision for Halifax. In defining the project scope, I have been able to set out an approach that embeds priorities and values from the start and considers the relationships and tensions of the place. 

I have aimed to establish a working approach that emphasises idea generation as a crucial step in building strong, collaborative partnerships across sectors, ensuring the town’s long-term vitality and growth.

Reflections on the journey so far

Eighteen months into my role, the initial disorientation of moving from a relatively homogenous professional context to a diverse organisation with varied roles, experience and expertise has given way to a growing appreciation of how the public sector works and the value I can bring as an architect. The year-long learning and development programme with Public Practice equipped me with essential knowledge, while the shared experience with my cohort offered invaluable support.

Being part of a wider network of Public Practice alumni continues to be beneficial. I am able to connect and share expertise with a community of like-minded professionals as I continue to pursue new areas of interest and a new career path in the public sector.