Working collaboratively is embedded in Austin-Smith:Lord’s guiding principles. Only through creative dialogue with our clients, communities and our creative teams can we reveal the potential of the places, spaces and buildings we co-design together.

We continue to  develop, implement and refine a range of co-design, creative consultation and participatory planning  tools and techniques to work with our clients, end-users, communities and stakeholders to define the project vision, the brief and objectives and work together to explore and develop a design response.

This approach has been the foundation of creative consultation and engagement on major town and city centre regeneration masterplans, significant and complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and community-led initiatives to enhance our local environments.

Our approach is open, accessible and rooted in active listening and empathy. We work with end-users and communities to understand their priorities and to articulate clear, achievable visions for the future of their place and project. By making the design process transparent and inclusive, we build consensus and create a strong foundation for public investment, planning certainty and long-term social and economic benefit.

This collaborative way of working supports better outcomes for everyone involved. It ensures that places evolve in ways that are resilient, sustainable and grounded in the lived experience of the people who use them every day.