The Public Practice scheme, which gives local authorities access to the expertise of architects like Cass Architecture (BA) lecturer Alpa Depani, recognised by ‘industry bible’.
Date: 17 January 2019
A pioneering scheme that places architects in local council planning departments was named as one of Architect Journal’s ‘people to watch in 2019’. Cass Architecture (BA) lecturer Alpa Depani is one of only 17 architects to be selected for the scheme.
Social enterprise Public Practice sifted through 200 applicants to pick 17 architects who would spend a year working as ‘associates’ for councils in London and the South East. The idea is to provide local authorities with talent at a time when almost half have no in-house design capacity and to give architects the chance to work in the public sector.
Alpa, who has worked with a range of architectural practices and holds teaching positions at The Cass and the University of Brighton, has joined the Housing, Planning and Regeneration Team in Sutton Council as the Town Centre Design Associate. In this role, Alpa is influencing and shaping the future of Sutton’s Town Centre by supporting the vision and design of large-scale sites and exploring meanwhile uses.
Alongside this work, Alpa is working on a Public Realm Guide and developing Design Codes for residential development in small sites. Alpa also promotes good design across Sutton Council by reviewing current design services and building in-house design capacity.
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