For this year’s World Architecture Day, we’re reflecting on the theme “Strength in Design” by hearing directly from our team across the practice. We asked Amy Galea from our Leeds studio, Shannon Walker from our Newcastle studio, and Julie Cormie from our Kettering office three questions to uncover their perspectives on what strength in design means to them, how it shapes their work, and why it matters in today’s architectural landscape.

We asked Amy Galea how the idea of “design for strength” translates into creating spaces that are inclusive and supportive of neurodiverse users.

“Design for strength” translates into inclusivity by recognising that resilience in architecture is not only structural but also human-centred. True accessibility means acknowledging both visible and non-visible disabilities. In fact, around 80% of disabled people live with a condition that is not immediately apparent.

This makes it essential that inclusivity is embedded across all scales of design, from masterplanning through to refurbishments and new builds. Designing beyond the minimum requirements of Part M should be the ambition: reducing sensory overload, improving wayfinding clarity, and creating logical, intuitive layouts can all contribute to spaces that support neurodiverse users. By embracing these principles, we can ensure that built environments are not only safe and functional, but also empowering, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone.

Shannon Walker shared her perspective on the role sustainability and low-carbon design play in creating long-lasting, strong architecture.

Sustainability and low-carbon design are fundamental to creating strong, resilient, long-lasting architecture. A building’s resilience lies not only in its physical durability but also in its ability to adapt to future needs with minimal environmental impact. By embedding sustainable principles from the outset we can ensure that architecture supports both the communities it serves and the wider environment over time.

This includes reducing embodied carbon, optimising energy efficiency, and selecting responsible materials with the future in mind. For me, designing for strength is more than structural integrity: it’s about designing places that endure social, environmental, and economical changes in an evolving world.

We asked Julie Cormie what “design for strength” means to her as an Architectural Designer.

Strength in architecture immediately conjures an image of heavy-duty materials: steel, concrete, and stone. As students we learn about different qualities of materials, what defines their strength, how for example adding steel re-bar can provide tensile strength in what would be an otherwise crumbly concrete beam. Any material alone has its weaknesses.

(Everyone loves an analogy)

Strength in a design practice comes from collaboration and diversity: of thought, background, and lived experience just as different properties of material have different types of strength that work in tandem.

To meet modern design challenges, the environmental crisis or fracturing community identities, it’s clear that design today demands flexible thinking and inclusive collaboration.

Architecture is an inherently political act. It influences how we live, who and what we see, and what is valued. Yet despite Britain’s rich cultural diversity, our profession remains disproportionately homogenous. This disconnect risks producing environments that exclude rather than empower—and that fall short of the sustainable solutions our communities need.

The UK’s shifting political landscape—marked by changing leadership, rising populism, and renewed debates around inclusion—calls for reflection within our profession. Who gets to design our spaces? Whose voices are shaping the future of our built environment?

While there have been gestures toward inclusive design, progress across the profession remains slow and uneven. To imagine and build spaces that are resilient, adaptable, and environmentally responsible, we must deliberately embed diversity and flexibility into every layer of practice—from education and recruitment to leadership and policy.

I believe strength in design comes from multiplicity—from the collision of ideas, the layering of perspectives, and the celebration of difference. Diverse design teams are better equipped to imagine and implement inclusive and resilient solutions.