From private practice to public purpose: An architect’s switch to public sector planning

An architectural career spanning more than 16 years has encompassed a range of sectors, with a particular focus on higher education and the arts. As a project architect, I led multidisciplinary teams to design, detail and deliver ambitious buildings, often complex and technically challenging, and was fortunate to work on projects that sought to exceed client expectations. Alongside a long-standing passion for thoughtful, responsive architectural design, I developed a growing interest in health and wellbeing, and particularly in how our built environment shapes everyday behaviours, social connection and long-term health outcomes.

Over time, experience in private practice also gave me a clear view of its vulnerabilities. The sector is inevitably exposed to economic cycles, which manifest in the stop-start nature of work: projects paused, reworked, or ultimately never realised.

My move into the public sector was driven by a desire to work at a more strategic level: influencing not just individual buildings, but the conditions that shape places over time

While this is an accepted reality of practice, it can feel frustrating when your motivation is grounded in enacting positive change through the built environment. It became clear that the influence of individual projects, no matter how carefully designed, was often limited by forces beyond the architect’s control. This raised broader questions about where a more consistent and far‑reaching contribution might be made.

My move into the public sector was driven by a desire to work at a more strategic level: influencing not just individual buildings, but the conditions that shape places over time. I wanted to help realise healthier environments at scale and to understand how policy, planning and delivery intersect in practice.

Through Public Practice, I accepted the role of lead project officer at Dorset Council (equivalent to a principal planning officer) with responsibility for managing major planning applications across northern Dorset.

Coming from an architectural background, there was some uncertainty about what the role would look like in reality. Entering a senior position within a planning team initially brought on a sense of imposter syndrome, alongside questions about how an unconventional career path would be perceived.

In practice, the working environment was far less formal than anticipated, and colleagues were welcoming of the specific expertise I brought. There was also greater flexibility around the scope of the role, allowing it to develop in response to skills, interests and organisational need.

Although my first year was a steep learning curve, particularly around policy and legal processes, the value of my architectural experience quickly became apparent. A broad skillset developed through managing complex projects translated directly to the day‑to‑day management of planning applications. Design expertise and a technical understanding of buildings and systems proved to be a particular asset, supporting more informed assessment and dialogue.

Architectural practice involves deep engagement across all stages and scales of projects, fostering a holistic understanding of complex and interrelated issues. Within a planning context, this perspective is highly valuable. A natural inclination to question assumptions, seek out best practice, and push for quality began to shape a broader contribution within the development management team.

As the year progressed, the full breadth of responsibility became clearer: managing a wide range of project types and scales, navigating policy, negotiating with applicants and consultants, and balancing technical assessment with public, political and organisational pressures.

Being part of the Public Practice associate programme was a crucial element in my transition. It provided a supportive peer network, structured reflection, and the reassurance that others were navigating similar shifts in professional identity

What surprised me was the extent of opportunity to engage at different levels, and the space I was given to bring design expertise into the process. With support from colleagues and managers, I was encouraged to pursue areas where I could add the most value.

Being part of the Public Practice associate programme was a crucial element in my transition. It provided a supportive peer network, structured reflection, and the reassurance that others were navigating similar shifts in professional identity. That sense of shared experience helped me move from seeing myself as ‘an architect in planning’ to feeling genuinely embedded in local government.

Two years in, the role continues to evolve. While day-to-day work still involves advising applicants and managing applications, my influence has broadened. I contribute to local plan work, local design codes and national policy consultations; I support colleagues in assessing schemes where design quality is a key issue; and I work to raise awareness of best-practice design principles within the development management team. These quieter, incremental interventions often feel just as important as formal decisions.

My perspective on the built environment has also shifted. The health challenges we face, from rising metabolic conditions to social isolation, are inseparable from the way our places are planned and designed. The health of people, places and the planet is inextricably intertwined.

Our environment should make the healthy choice the easy, unconscious one: supporting daily movement, access to nature and fresh food, social interaction, and low-carbon living. This requires fundamentally sustainable principles, well-designed buildings, and, critically, generous, accessible spaces in between.

One of the most challenging and instructive projects to date has been the proposed new garden community near Dorchester. The project is at an early stage, with the site identified as a potential allocation through the council’s Regulation 18 local plan consultation. A council-led masterplan is being developed as part of the garden communities programme, while a developer-led consortium has also brought forward initial proposals through pre-application engagement. Against a backdrop of increased housing targets, a constrained housing land supply and an ageing local plan, the challenge has been to engage positively and proactively to achieve the best possible outcome.

The project presents a rare opportunity to deliver an exemplar settlement: one that supports healthy living, adapts to future economic and climate pressures, and genuinely responds to its context. The complexities of this high-stake project exemplify the realities of working in local government, striving for quality within an evolving policy framework, balancing ambition with deliverability, and navigating competing priorities.

The national shift towards strategic planning presents a timely opportunity to embed health-focused principles at scale and to redefine what we collectively expect of new development

While this fluidity can be challenging, it is also empowering. It creates space to influence how policy evolves and how expectations are set. Working within the system has given me a much clearer understanding of where leverage exists, and where it doesn’t, and of the importance of persistence, collaboration and collective leadership.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the role has been the opportunity to engage beyond individual projects, including involvement in regional and national placemaking networks promoting high-quality design, helping to facilitate discussions across local authorities with support from central government. This kind of forum offers a valuable route to communicate local challenges at a national level and to unlock support that can genuinely strengthen local capacity.

Looking ahead, my aspirations remain rooted in a holistic approach to health, design and placemaking. The national shift towards strategic planning presents a timely opportunity to embed health-focused principles at scale and to redefine what we collectively expect of new development.

I am keen to contribute to these conversations and to continue working at the intersection of design, policy and delivery, helping to shape places that support the long-term wellbeing of the communities we serve.