When someone joins the team, it’s become traditional for them to write a welcome blog explaining their background and the projects they are looking forward to starting. In October last year, I began working part-time with DG Cities on their communications – seven months on, I have found a moment to post something. It’s been a busy time, learning about electric bin lorries, behaviour change interventions, dark fibre, EV charging in the countryside, how driverless cars make sense of rare events, like fighting squirrels and Scotch mist, IoT, and more practically, finding the best cycle route to the Design District in Greenwich… Sarah Simpkin
Early morning cycle through the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
My background is in art and then architecture. I managed written communications for architects, Foster + Partners for almost eight years and still freelance for other design studios and publishers. My experience has often been in explaining the concept end of large-scale urban visions, the design of the buildings and public spaces, whether it’s a proposal for a new cultural district or estuary airport. What interested me about DG Cities was coming to the same subject from a different perspective – people. While architecture is a response to people’s needs, it seemed radical to prioritise asking people what those needs might be. But that is the essence of what the company does; exploring innovations critically, finding their value, gauging public perceptions and developing a strategy for use.
Everything is framed by the challenges of decarbonisation, social equity and inclusion. It’s been interesting to see the reality of implementing the detail of overarching government policy in the messy complexity of cities, tiny villages, existing housing stock, transport and energy networks, and diverse public opinion. But the team never seems daunted by difficult things. They work very collaboratively and bring a mix of private and public sector experience in different fields, like local government leadership, planning, economics, behavioural science and engineering.
“They find creative solutions to do more with less, to extract the greatest possible value from the smallest investment, squeezing every drop of efficiency from existing systems and making places work better for people.”
When I first joined, with no public sector experience, there was an occasional language barrier: I wasn’t fluent in acronyms, purdah, consortium partners or the various panels and boards. I’m still not sure I am. But I appreciate their skill in understanding the nitty gritty of how government agencies and local authorities work – it’s something DG Cities brings to their own projects, but I have also seen how they act as the glue between private and public bodies. And not so unlike good architects, they find creative solutions to do more with less, to extract the greatest possible value from the smallest investment, squeezing every drop of efficiency from existing systems and making places work better for people. It is an embedded approach, a way of thinking, which comes through in every strategy or piece of work.
Another change has been the shift in my focus. While I have always tended to take responsibility for writing, at DG Cities, I have been able to share the load; I took over from a talented writer and inherited an impressive bunch of colleagues, happy to quickly compose an engaging comment on the latest heat pump policy or expectations of COP26. This has given me freedom to explore different ways of communicating what we do, in new formats. Keep an eye out for our next feature film, where Kim faces off the challenge of finding space for EV chargers in a small market town.
I’ve been tempted to recommend DG Cities to some of my architecture clients. “Do you have any real evidence from local engagement to back up that approach?” “Did you know there’s a tool to factor in the transport modes people in that development might need a few decades down the line?” It has helped me develop a more nuanced understanding of the different influences that shape the built environment. And it’s keeping me fit – I enjoy Mondays in Greenwich, the cycle there along the C10, past the Royal Naval College and up to the peninsula and a croissant in SelgasCano’s wonderful yellow canteen.
There is so much collective knowledge and experience within the team, these blogs are a great way to regularly share insights from our projects and life at DG Cities, so if there are any topics you’d like to know more about, or ‘ask our experts’ queries, get in touch!
