Designing Cities That Last: Masterplanning the Future with John Stiles
In episode 20 of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin ‘talks place’ with John Stiles, Placemaking Manager at Brent Council, to explore what it really means to shape places that people care for, and that care for them in return.
John shares his journey as an architect from private practice to public service, why he believes impact can happen faster inside local government, and how councils are becoming braver in redefining value, partnership, and the very idea of placemaking.
From private practice to public purpose
For John, the move from architect to public placemaker wasn’t just a career shift, it was a mindset change.
“Architecture can be incredibly slow; projects take years to realise. But in a local authority, you can make meaningful change much faster, sometimes just by changing a process or creating something that didn’t exist before.”
He joined Brent Council through Public Practice, an initiative placing built environment professionals within local government to strengthen design capacity from within. What started as an experiment soon became a purpose-driven career, one that reconnected design with social responsibility.
“People think councils are slow and bureaucratic, but when you understand the system and how to navigate it, you realise there’s actually a lot of freedom to make things happen.”
Belonging and the social contract of place
When asked what a “good” place looks like, John doesn’t hesitate: it’s about belonging.
“A good place is somewhere you feel an inherent sense of belonging, a permissive, convivial place where people feel safe and connected,”
He describes the relationship between people and their environment as a social contract:
“Successful places make people want to care for them because those places care for them in return.”
That mutual respect, he argues, is what many places have lost over time, and what councils must nurture through better design, stewardship, and community participation.
The evolving story of Brent
From the suburban streets of Wembley to the cultural mix of Neasden and Kilburn, Brent’s identity is as complex as it is vibrant.
“Brent means a lot of different things to different people, it’s one of London’s most diverse boroughs, a place constantly changing, layered with stories from around the world.”
He points to the irony of Wembley Park’s imperial street names set against the area’s global diaspora. “It’s a fascinating tension,” he says, “but also a reminder that places evolve, they absorb new identities while retaining traces of the old.”
Build to rent and the nature of of transient communities
Much of Wembley’s transformation has been driven by build-to-rent developments, a model often criticised for its transience. But John offers a more nuanced perspective.
“There’s a misconception that build-to-rent can’t create community, but I see people putting down roots. There’s a strong dog-walking community here, I recognise the dogs before the owners. That tells you something about belonging.”
For John, community isn’t about permanence; it’s about participation.
“It’s less about how long people stay, and more about how connected they feel while they’re here.”
Doing more with less
As public budgets tighten, creativity has become essential to delivering impact.
“We’re a small team, but we punch above our weight. The challenge is to do more with less, to find new ways to generate value and deliver good design.”
Brent’s approach includes exploring revenue-generating services within the council, using in-house expertise to deliver feasibility studies or environmental advice at a competitive rate.
“It’s not about competing with private practice,” he clarifies. “It’s about using our skills smartly and knowing when to bring others in. The public sector has to think like a business sometimes, without losing its public purpose.”
The dark art of procurement
John is candid about one of local government’s most misunderstood processes.
“Procurement is an absolute dark art, both as a commissioner and as a bidder.”
He believes reform starts with better briefs.
“The quality of the answer depends on the quality of the question”.
He also calls for fairer frameworks to give smaller and emerging practices a chance. “Procurement shouldn’t just reward size or familiarity. We need to be braver about risk, and more open to new voices.”
AI, health, and the future of place
Looking ahead, John sees technology and wellbeing as central to Brent’s future.
“We’re exploring how AI can automate planning reports and free up human time for more creative, people-focused work,”
“The goal isn’t to replace people, but to give them space to do what only humans can do.”
He’s equally passionate about embedding health into placemaking. “Some communities in Brent were hit hard during the pandemic. As place-shapers, we have a responsibility to design healthier, greener environments that support wellbeing.”
Participation, youth, and the next generation
John’s vision for the future of placemaking is participatory, and distinctly people-first.
He’s helped establish the Brent Community Review Panel, a group of residents who assess development proposals alongside design professionals. “It’s only twenty people, but they’re a bridge to thousands,” he explains.
He’s particularly keen to see young people involved. “It’s their city we’re building. We can’t design for them without them.”
Leaving places better than we found them
Asked how he’d like his legacy to be remembered, John answers simply:
“I’d like to leave the borough better than I found it.”
It’s a modest ambition that carries weight, one that defines a new kind of public sector designer: patient, pragmatic, and profoundly human.
At a time when urban development often feels extractive, John’s approach offers a counter-narrative: one of participation, responsibility, and quiet revolution.
Listen to the full episode of Talking Place with John Stiles to hear more about belonging, the realities of local government, and how placemaking can be reimagined as a shared act of care.
Available on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcast.