Urban Design

JANE HAKES

Jane is an experienced urban designer and qualified Architect with a specialism in master planning and strategic design. Most recently, she has worked on estate regeneration and master planning projects at Levitt Bernstein Architects, and previously at Allies and Morrison on concept design, viability and planning compliance. Outside work, Jane volunteers with Shelter in Kings Cross.

Taking on the role of Principal Urban Designer at Dacorum, Jane is providing design advice from the early stages onward to shape proposals for a series of major planning applications and sites identified through the Local Plan. Central to her work is setting a new benchmark for design quality on major sites following the publication of the council’s draft Strategic Design Guide.

KRISHMA SHAH

Krishma is an experienced architect, having spent a decade at Levitt Bernstein Associates before setting up her own practice in 2019. During her time at Levitt Bernstein, she has worked on both new-build and refurbishment projects across the health, education and residential sectors, working with local authorities and end-users at the design stage. For the past three years, Krishma has specialised in housing design ranging from smaller specialist housing projects to larger scale estate regeneration schemes for public and private providers. As well as running projects at various stages, Krishma has been involved in studio management including resourcing, finance and staff reviews, bid writing and feasibility.

As Urban Designer within Epping Forest’s multi-disciplinary Policy and Implementation Team, Krishma provides specialist urban design advice on the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town as well as on strategic master plans for other sites in the Council’s Local Plan. She is also involved in managing the Council’s Quality Review Panel, giving pre-application advice on large and complex development proposals, and masterplanning with a strong emphasis on place making and high-quality design.

ANDREJ MECAVA

Andrej is an architect with 10 years of experience spanning across a variety of sectors. He has worked in leading roles on office, education and residential developments in London and Jersey, and has taken on senior roles on large scale projects for local practices in Los Angeles. Andrej is a part-time lecturer on the BA (Hons) Architecture course at Norwich University of the Arts. He is passionate about social value with a focus on gender equity and has spent the last 5 years campaigning for the equitable delivery of a Women's Building on the former site of Holloway Prison in London.

Contact Andrej via LinkedIn.

TAMARA KAHN

Prior to becoming an Associate, Tamara was an architect who specialised in designing for historic settings and protected environments, with experience on listed buildings and new mixed-use urban developments. She supported Architecture Sans Frontières-UK as an associate since and is worked in London on community-based projects, as well as in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Community Action Area Plans in informal settlements.

As part of the fourth cohort of Public Practice, Tamara took on the role of Central Area Design Guidance Project Officer at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Together with fellow Public Practice Alumna, Mariana Schiller, she supported the delivery of an urban characterisation study and developed a set of urban design guidelines that help to deliver growth through the urban intensification of the borough. In July 2021, her work was published in the Central Area Good Growth Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The document aims to support developers, designers and Council case officers in delivering sustainable growth whilst respecting the character of the area. Read more about the project in their case study on how Authorities can promote context-led design.

After successfully delivering the project and completing the Associate Programme, Tamara was appointed Place Shaping Design Officer and continued contributing to Tower Hamlets' urban development.

Contact Tamara on LinkedIn.

MARK STANCOMBE

Mark is an architect with experience in residential, leisure and masterplanning projects. Before becoming an Associate, he worked at 5plus Architects, taking a leading role in the masterplan to redevelop Stretford town centre and the development of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), a world-leading innovation campus in Glasgow. He is passionate about placemaking and taking a holistic approach to regeneration, utilising engagement to kickstart interest in sites to allow long-term visions to flourish.

Mark also undertakes a number of mentoring roles, as a guest reviewer at the University of Sheffield and as a RIBA Student Mentor with the University of Manchester.

JACK RICHARDS

Jack is an architect, design tutor, and retrofit coordinator. He co-runs the Manchester-based architecture practice Editional Studio and has been featured in The Architects’ Journal, the Architecture Foundation, and the RIBAJ.

Prior to establishing Editional Studio, he gained experience in large-scale public housing projects while working on the multi-award winning Colville Estate Regeneration in Hackney and Meridian Water in Enfield in his previous role at Karakusevic Carson Architects. In Manchester, he worked on the Great Jackson Street Regeneration Project whilst at Hodder + Partners. Alongside his work, he teaches a second-year design studio at The University of Sheffield.