GP 36: Finding a Voice to Grow Places: with Angela Crowther of Arup

Discover the transformational power of purposeful design with Angela Crowther, a director at Arup, as she shares her journey from engineering to master planning and how her work in post-tsunami Indonesia reshaped her perspective on community resilience. Angela reveals the vital role that thoughtful design plays in rebuilding communities, emphasizing the significance of ecological restoration projects like mangrove reforestation. Listen as she combines rigorous analysis with creativity to address complex challenges and advocates for a systemic approach to urban design with a focus on sustainability and well-being.Gain insights into the evolution of urban design collaboration, where breaking away from traditional roles and hierarchies fosters innovative solutions. Angela discusses how creating an inclusive environment encourages questioning and reshaping project briefs, leading to meaningful progress. Learn about the shift towards sustainability and the need for diverse perspectives, as Angela provides examples of adaptive buildings and the importance of pushing ideas to achieve tangible outcomes that benefit both people and places.Explore the complexities of integrating community insights with top-down approaches in urban development. Angela highlights the critical need for continuous dialogue with communities and the inadequacies of limited consultations. Delve into material innovation in structural engineering, focusing on sustainable practices like incorporating graphene in concrete and circular economy solutions. Angela's experiences of stepping outside her comfort zone underscore the importance of advocating for creative solutions and collaborating effectively with trusted advisors to tackle complex client challenges. Join us for an engaging conversation on fostering collective innovation in the field of urban design.