I am an architect, originally from London and now living in the west of England. I practice as an urban designer, teaching fellow and artist, making work that connects communities and makes places better for people and the planet.

My Fellowship centred on finding the common ground to connect disparate communities. It led me to some wonderful communities and places in the USA, Mexico, Canada and Germany, where I focused on researching community- and conservation-led regeneration projects. Some were well underway or completed, and others were being planned, so I was able to look at the processes and people involved at different stages of projects. Buildings and places were the notable connectors in every community – they embodied people's identities whatever their background. They became landmarks associated with many family and cultural stories that crossed social barriers over generations.

Following my Fellowship, I worked in local government for 15 years where I shared my learning and worked with communities, developers and planners to create better-quality developments. I now work directly with communities to build on these practices and also teach architecture.