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Posted On: July 21st 2026, 07:55 am
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What does it actually take to turn a bold, ambitious vision into physical reality?
Too often in the Built Environment, great ideas stall. Visionary design clashes with financial deliverability, or policy gets disconnected from the very communities it's meant to serve.
Last Monday, I was invited to a fantastic panel discussion in the @ehsmitharch showroom in Birmingham, featuring a rare convergence of development talent, academic rigour, and visionary design.
The panel guests brought incredible insight and such much needed brutal honesty - something I admire.
@tombloxhammbe chairman and founder of award-winning regeneration company @weareurbansplash architect and urban regeneration developer. It was incredible to see someone with so many accolades (489 awards to date!!) be so humble about his beginnings and the honesty about not necessarily getting it right first time but having the determination to design something you’d be proud of to put your name over the door! I’d have loved to pick his brains some more but missed him after the panel.
@prof.sanaofficial (@mybcu ) brought invaluable academic and social rigour, unpacking why well-intentioned projects stall and what it actually takes to build true community consent alongside physical structures. Asking the question what truly is affordable housing?
Eliot Postma (@officialheatherwickstudio)shared the design intelligence behind the new Birmingham FC Stadium, proving that bold, provocative design and practical deliverability don't have to be mutually exclusive. I loved having front row seats to the design narrative 🤓
Hosted by the wonderful Tania Ihlenfeld (Ede Enablers) who spoke powerfully about what it takes to support and develop the formidable changemakers our industry needs to move forward.
I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend a warm Monday surrounded by leaders and decision-makers who genuinely want to change how our industry operates-not just locally, but globally.
Thank you to the host and panelists for such a thought-provoking evening. I'm already looking forward to re-watching the film.
Thank-you to the sponsors, Ede Enablers, @xal_lighting @loxone @ehsmitharch
Too often in the Built Environment, great ideas stall. Visionary design clashes with financial deliverability, or policy gets disconnected from the very communities it's meant to serve.
Last Monday, I was invited to a fantastic panel discussion in the @ehsmitharch showroom in Birmingham, featuring a rare convergence of development talent, academic rigour, and visionary design.
The panel guests brought incredible insight and such much needed brutal honesty - something I admire.
@tombloxhammbe chairman and founder of award-winning regeneration company @weareurbansplash architect and urban regeneration developer. It was incredible to see someone with so many accolades (489 awards to date!!) be so humble about his beginnings and the honesty about not necessarily getting it right first time but having the determination to design something you’d be proud of to put your name over the door! I’d have loved to pick his brains some more but missed him after the panel.
@prof.sanaofficial (@mybcu ) brought invaluable academic and social rigour, unpacking why well-intentioned projects stall and what it actually takes to build true community consent alongside physical structures. Asking the question what truly is affordable housing?
Eliot Postma (@officialheatherwickstudio)shared the design intelligence behind the new Birmingham FC Stadium, proving that bold, provocative design and practical deliverability don't have to be mutually exclusive. I loved having front row seats to the design narrative 🤓
Hosted by the wonderful Tania Ihlenfeld (Ede Enablers) who spoke powerfully about what it takes to support and develop the formidable changemakers our industry needs to move forward.
I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend a warm Monday surrounded by leaders and decision-makers who genuinely want to change how our industry operates-not just locally, but globally.
Thank you to the host and panelists for such a thought-provoking evening. I'm already looking forward to re-watching the film.
Thank-you to the sponsors, Ede Enablers, @xal_lighting @loxone @ehsmitharch
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