When Does a Project Become a Place?
Breaking the Ground Ceramony in Singapore 2013 Development, heritage, regeneration and peacebuilding projects are remarkably good at celebrating completion. Buildings are restored. Parks are inaugurated. Museums reopen. Community centres welcome their first visitors. Reports are submitted, donors acknowledged and photographs taken. The language of success is well rehearsed because, in many respects, it is measurable. Budgets are balanced, milestones achieved and contractual o
Thank You, Urban Realm
I am delighted to thank Urban Realm for publishing my article, Rebuilding Without Erasing, which they boldly retitled Ghost Buildings. It is a real honour to feature in one of Scotland's leading publications covering architecture, design and the built environment. The article explores a question that architecture rarely asks: what should we do with buildings that have been used for violence? We are familiar with rebuilding homes, restoring infrastructure and repairing heritag
In a World Soaked in Hateful Narrative
In a world soaked in hateful narrative, ten conversations reminded me of something quietly extraordinary: the enduring wonder of people. What began as a series of profiles celebrating cultural heritage became something much larger. These were not simply stories about buildings, landscapes or collections. They were stories about curiosity, kindness, resilience and the quiet acts of encouragement that shape our lives. At a time when public conversation can feel dominated by div
People • Place • Memory • Change
Over the years, my work has taken me into a remarkably diverse range of environments. I have worked with architects, heritage practitioners, educators, community leaders, peacebuilders, public servants, artists, emergency responders, researchers and business leaders. I have spent time in universities, government institutions, cultural organisations, post-conflict cities, coastal villages, boardrooms, construction sites and communities navigating profound social change. At fir
Growing Old in Displacement
What Ukraine's elderly remind us about home, dignity and recovery With thanks to Elena Rogers for introducing me to this important initiative and drawing my attention to one of the least discussed dimensions of displacement in Ukraine. When we think about displacement during war, our minds often turn to families fleeing bombardment, children crossing borders, or young people whose futures have been interrupted by conflict. Far less often do we think about growing old in displ
The Homes That Still Exist in Memory
Reflections on Georgia's displaced communities, cultural heritage and the meaning of home With thanks to Manana Tevzadze, whose work preserving the cultural heritage of Georgia's displaced communities inspired this article When we think about displacement, we often imagine the moment people leave. We picture families fleeing conflict, carrying what possessions they can. We think about borders crossed, temporary shelters established, and humanitarian assistance delivered. News
Marjane Satrapi and the Humanity Behind the Headlines
A friend from the BBC gave me a copy of Persepolis shortly before I began my Master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of St Andrews. I remember being immediately captivated. As someone trained in design and architecture, the stark black-and-white illustrations drew me in, but it was the humanity of the story that stayed with me. Today, as Iran once again risks being reduced to headlines, strategic calculations and military analysis, I find myself return
Returning Is Not the Same as Going Home
Reflections on the World Cities Report 2026, displacement, and the phenomenology of home The recently published World Cities Report 2026: The Global Housing Crisis, Pathways to Action offers a stark assessment of the state of global housing. According to UN-Habitat, as many as 3.4 billion people worldwide now live without secure, safe, or adequate housing. The report describes a world shaped by spiralling housing costs, displacement, informal urbanisation, climate vulnerabili
The Minefield Beneath Memory
Why Cultural Heritage Recovery Must Confront the Reality of Explosive Violence Translations: Arabic / Ukrainian Across modern conflicts, cultural heritage has become increasingly recognised as central to identity, recovery, and peacebuilding. Destroyed museums, damaged religious buildings, shattered neighbourhoods, erased archives, ruined cemeteries, and scarred public spaces are no longer understood simply as architectural losses. They are increasingly recognised as attacks
Rebuilding Without Erasing: Why Adaptive Re-use Matters After War
If you are working on the reconstruction of Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, Sudan, or any city emerging from conflict, there is a familiar set of questions: How quickly can we rebuild? What should be prioritised? Which structures are beyond repair? These are necessary questions. But there is another question that rarely appears in planning frameworks or design briefs: What should we do with buildings that remember violence? The buildings that don’t fit Post-conflict reconstruction tend
