Johannah Fening-Ajakaiye

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.