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INSIGHTS
High Path Estate, Wimbledon © PRP
gives a voice to everyone and co-producing practical, achievable solutions” that fulfi l the needs of local communities. One of the key differences in PRP’s approach is their emphasis on designing “with existing communities” rather than “for” them. This allows the team to achieve shared goals, rather than imposing top-down decisions. High Path Estate in Wimbledon a key example that Kilpatrick picks out. The project to “transform” the estate has involved a carefully curated series of interactive events (public exhibitions, coffee mornings, and one-to-one sessions with “hard-to-reach” groups). And ‘Regen Week’ had been introduced to educate local school children on the concepts of sustainability and regeneration. “Our approach to design,” insists Patel, “is human-centred,” not focusing on “quantitative monetary values tallied up on social value calculators.” PRP’s overarching ambition is about “fostering health, wellbeing and creating accessible environments.”
Looking good at 60
As the practice celebrates its signifi cant birthday, Kilpatrick credits their success and longevity to “good succession planning” and provision of “genuine” opportunities for staff advancement. In addition, its emphasis on a clear career path encourages long-term commitment and dedication from staff. The fi rm has also cultivated a culture that promotes collaboration and open communication between all members, regardless of seniority. Patel and Kilpatrick, upon joining the board, took immediate steps to remove the glass partitions in the offi ce that previously separated senior management
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from other employees, which “quite literally” broke down the hierarchical structures. To commemorate the 60th anniversary, PRP has launched a brand-new mentoring initiative open to all disciplines, levels and studios – from architects and urban designers through to site inspectors and document controllers. It will aim to empower all staff to optimise their professional development, and ultimately improve diversity at senior levels of the practice. “As we mark 60 years of PRP, we are celebrating our commitment to designing buildings that enhance the lives of communities,” says Patel.
Challenges & future
In terms of how the practice is tackling climate change specifi cally, an in-house team of environmental sustainability experts produce robust environmental strategies and provide advice on all their development projects. The fi rm has invested heavily in design knowledge on Passivhaus to strengthen its capacity in this area. Not only this but they are developing a series of masterclasses for staff on climate change resilience and seminars for clients. “We have always been focused on environmentally led design and combating the climate crisis; we were one of the fi rst practices to sign up to the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge.” Moving forward, PRP intends to take on more projects related to placemaking, masterplanning, and town centre revitalisation, while continuing to expand into new areas like fi lm studio design. Patel emphasises that the fi rm will grow while maintaining its “people- oriented, context-driven, and sustainability-led design approach.”
ADF MAY 2023
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