Interview

In this Be Inspired interview, Architect, Mentor and Entrepreneur, Charlotte Shields shares how her journey from growing up in Birmingham to launching CS Architecture + Design has shaped her approach to practice and leadership. Through her work, writing, and mentorship, Charlotte challenges traditional definitions of success and advocates for careers built on wellbeing, visibility, and long-term impact.

In our latest interview, Architect, Educator, Writer and Co-founder of POoR Collective, Shawn Adams shared how he followed an early spark of curiosity into a career grounded in community, equity, and storytelling. From leading outreach at HTA Design to teaching at the Architectural Association, Shawn’s work champions access, agency, and youth-led design.

For our next feature, we’re joined by architect, filmmaker, and educator Nilesh, whose career spans far beyond traditional practice. His journey weaves through architecture, landscape design, and award-winning film, shaped by resilience, curiosity and an unwavering dedication to storytelling. In this conversation, he reflects on navigating exclusion in the profession, finding new creative pathways, and redefining what it means to build a career in the built environment.

In our latest interview, Architect and Illustrator Tanatswa Borerwe shares how hand-drawing, storytelling, and lived experience shape her work. From Zimbabwe to North London, from sketchbooks to estate regeneration, Tanatswa’s journey reminds us that visual storytelling is beautiful and powerful. It invites conversation, builds trust, and makes design more human.

It’s feature number five and we are joined by Architectural Designer, Educator and Co-Founder, Zafir Ameen. In this feature we discuss...

It’s feature number four and we are joined by multidisciplinary designer and poet, Sam Elbahja. In this feature we discuss the unique blend of architecture and poetry that Sam explores, her journey at Cambridge University, her exciting projects she is working on and more!

It’s feature number three and we are joined by Architect, business owner and jewellery designer, Malaika Carr Johnson. In this feature we...

Our second feature for ‘Be Inspired’ is a multidisciplinary designer Tola Oluolape. Tola is most known for her interior design studio,...

POC in Architecture is rolling out a new ‘Be Inspired’ blog series which will happen every quarter, to keep our community inspired and in...

Hamza Shaikh is an architectural designer, artist and illustrator, with an entrepreneurial hunger within the realm of creative...

This month I had the pleasure of interviewing two inspiring black women, Ife Somefun and Mayo Akin-Oteniya, who are the co-founders of a...

Michael Ford is a black American Architect who has named himself "Hip Hop Architect". Ford uses the art of hip hop music and architecture...

Malaika Carr is a fully qualified black female architect, with a passion for hand crafted jewellery. Malaika's designs on her online...

This week I had the opportunity to interview one of my old Secondary School teachers, Stuart Lawrence. Stuart Lawrence is the younger...