Connecting People and Places: Blueprint for All

26 January 2021

As part of our London and South East studios’ charity fundraising, Purcell’s chosen charity throughout 2020 was The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, and we continue to support the charity throughout 2021. Now known as Blueprint for All, the organisation builds careers, supports communities, and enriches society through enabling young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in a career of their choice.

Throughout last year, our teams raised money for Blueprint for All via organised digital events, and have worked with the charity as mentors, helping students navigate a career into architecture and heritage. Most recently, colleagues across Purcell have collaborated with the charity’s Built Environment team on a project called ‘Connecting People and Places’.

The charity was founded in 1998, on the premise that inequality must be tackled in all its forms. This includes inequality of access, and of opportunity, wherever it occurs. The charity works to ensure that young people can get the opportunities denied to Stephen by his murder, and inspires and enables young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups into professional careers.

— Nyamoi Fall Taylor, Architectural Assistant

Supported by Historic England, Connecting People and Places sets out to question how BAME communities have had a voice in the planning and design of sites that are significant to them. To this point, a researched report has been produced, led by young people, however, the project is ongoing, and will be developed through a touring exhibition, a podcast and a publication. As part of the programme, our team have produced a report detailing the overarching principles of heritage consultancy. This framework can also be used as an educational resource introducing a career in heritage and architecture for students to use as part of the programme.

With this document, we intend to set out the guiding principles of heritage consultancy for reference and use as a point of departure only, rather than imposing a strict rubric to follow. Crucially, it aims to be interesting and accessible to a range of audiences interested in historic buildings, but particularly those considering engaging with the planning system including custodians, community groups, homeowners, shopkeepers and developers.

— Brilliana Harley, Heritage Consultant