Inspired by collectives like Design Research Unit, Public Practice is a social enterprise founded by Pooja Agrawal and Finn Williams to improve the quality of everyday places by building the public sector’s capacity for proactive planning. The initiative is transforming the image of public planning by rebuilding its agency to be bold and creative, and to work for a society as a whole, not just for those who can afford it.
Public Practice is built on Agrawal and Williams’ own experience of moving from a background in architecture into the public sector. Agrawal has championed new approaches to inclusive regeneration through her work at the Greater London Authority. Williams spent 5 years at Croydon Council, helping to establish their reputation as one of the most progressive planning teams in the country.
Public Practice asks how can built environment experts can better serve society? It embeds talented architects and urbanists within local authorities to tackle complex issues, like the lack of affordable housing. For change to happen from within the system, they must know when to follow the rules, and when to challenge them. This new generation of public servants is founding a new generation of public enterprise.