Cristina Preciado

Cristina is an architectural designer who is passionate about cities as social and built environments. She co-founded Pulmón del Barrio, a non-profit based in Panama City that focuses on improving public spaces through community engagement, research, and design. In her previous role as a landscape and urban designer at Balmori Associates, she was involved in various projects, ranging from expansive mixed-use urban regeneration masterplans to art installations and public realm design. Before joining the Spring Cohort 2024, Cristina completed an MSc in City Design and Social Science, where her dissertation explored the impact of the newly constructed Panama Metro on women's lives and travel experiences. Through interviews and field observations, she applied a gender lens to assess the Metro's capacity for social inclusion. Cristina's approach is characterised by a keen eagerness to learn, a rigorous mindset, and a perpetual motivation to create more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cities.

Epping Forest District Council

As an Urban Design Officer in EFDC’s multi-disciplinary Policy and Implementation Team, Cristina primarily focused on providing urban design advice on strategic masterplan sites and other large-scale planning applications. In her role, she supported case officers and the wider team to deliver Local Plan objectives by offering design input with an emphasis on placemaking and high-quality outcomes across all stages, including pre-application discussions. She also led fortnightly Design Surgeries, offering officers quick feedback on specific cases or guidance on general design queries.

Cristina was involved in key workstreams related to the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town delivery and the growing number of large and complex development proposals. Additionally, she managed the Council’s Quality Review Panel, upholding the highest design standards and fostering innovation in the built environment.