Are We Designing Cities for People—or Just for Policies?
"The answer is in the neighbourhood. Nowhere is discounted. The care we put into understanding a place shapes everything that follows."
– Lucy Musgrave
For all the talk of inclusivity, resilience, and long-term planning, are we really building cities that work for people? Or are we just fine-tuning the same systems that prioritise policy over lived experience?
At Grow Places, we believe in growing places with purpose—places that respond to how people actually live, work, and connect, not just how the planning framework expects them to. This month, we explore how two industry leaders—Lucy Musgrave, founder of Publica, and Angela Crowther, Director at Arup—are challenging the status quo.
Lucy reminds us that places tell us what they need—if we take the time to listen. Angela pushes us to break away from business-as-usual thinking, questioning everything from design briefs to the materials we use. Their insights expose a fundamental truth: cities are always in flux, and our role isn’t just to keep up, but to shape the change in a meaningful way.
The Power of Purpose: Are We Asking the Right Questions?
"We spend so much time debating what to build. The real question is: why are we building it?" – Angela Crowther
Why do so many developments follow the same formula? Angela believes it’s because we’re designing to tick boxes, rather than designing for longevity and adaptability.
What Needs to Change?
Adaptive Buildings, Not Static Forms: The world moves fast—shouldn’t our buildings evolve with it?
Whole-Life Thinking: A truly sustainable building isn’t just net-zero—it’s designed to last and serve multiple uses over time.
Breaking Down Silos: The best projects don’t start with rigid roles, but with shared ambitions and interdisciplinary thinking.
If the design process feels predictable, it’s probably not ambitious enough.
Beyond Policy: Are We Listening to the City Itself?
"The built environment is full of blind spots—hidden in plain sight. Our job is to uncover them." – Lucy Musgrave
We’ve all seen developments that look great on paper but fail in reality. Lucy argues this happens because we don’t start with the right question: what does the neighbourhood actually need?How Cities Must Evolve:
People-First Planning: The best solutions come from within communities, not imposed from above.
Inclusivity as a Design Principle: Safety, accessibility, and equity must be built in from the start—not treated as extras.
Long-Term Thinking Over Short-Term Wins: A great city isn’t just made of new projects; it’s about rethinking how existing places can work better.
The challenge isn’t just designing spaces—it’s designing the right spaces, for the right people, at the right time.
What’s Next for 2025?
The insights from Lucy and Angela lead us to one essential question: if we’re not designing places for people, then who are we designing them for?
Reframe the Brief: Challenge assumptions and design for adaptability.
Listen Before Building: The answers are already in the neighbourhoods—are we paying attention?
Lead with Purpose: If a project isn’t pushing boundaries, it’s probably just reinforcing the status quo.
"If we don’t challenge our own assumptions, we risk reinforcing the very problems we set out to solve."
– Angela Crowther
"Cities are always in flux. The question is: will we shape the change, or just react to it?" – Lucy Musgrave
As we move further into 2025, let’s commit to designing with people, not just for them. The best cities don’t just happen—they are built with intention, shaped by those who understand them best.
Let’s grow places—together.