Steven Smith

urban narrative

Steven Smith BA (Hons) Dip Arch RIBA

Position- Director urban narrative

Date of birth- 1955

Nationality- British

Steven Smith is an architect with over thirty years professional experience, practicing as an architect and urbanist working on a diverse, international portfolio of projects. His career has developed through work on projects across Europe, Asia and Australia and includes some of the most challenging, large-scale development projects. Steven founded urban narrative after a successful career at DEGW, an international research based design consultancy, and before that with Terry Farrell and Partners in UK and Asia. urban narrative was founded in 2010 as an urbanism consultancy focused on the design and reinvention of cities using a creative narrative approach combined with research, interactive design, events and enriched conversation.

1982- 1991 Associate Director Terry Farrell and Partners UK

1992- 1999 Design Director Terry Farrell and Partners Hong Kong

1999- 2004 Director Urban and infrastructure projects Terry Farrell and Partners UK

2004- 2009 Director Urbanism DEGW UK

2010- Founder urban narrative

Projects

The following is a selected summary of Steven Smith’s project experience:-

Steve is working with Frank Duffy at London’s Southbank Centre on the reinvention of its site including defining the brief for the next stage in the master-plan development of their site in the heart of Central London, including a detailed feasibility study for the refurbishment of the Festival Wing which includes the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Rooms and Hayward Gallery. The project is now moving into the implementation stage

Porth Teigr Cardiff 2000 continuing. Client - Igloo Regeneration
Steve is leading the master-plan development of a major expansion to the Cardiff Bay waterfront for developer Igloo Regeneration focussed around the new BBC drama production facility. The master-plan provides for 200,000 m2 of office, media related facilities together with leisure community and residential accommodation. The plan includes 2km of waterfront, a marina, and extensive new public space. The plan aims to set new standards for sustainable development embracing a combination of social, economic and environmental standards affecting all aspects of the design in line with Igloo’s innovative ethical investment philosophy. The project has been the recipient of numerous awards including:- RTPI Wales Planning Award 2011 & Commendation National Planning Award 2012. Built Environment, The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards 2012

The University of Otago Masterplan Dunedin New Zealand 2009-10. Client - University of Otago
Steve led the master-plan design for the University of Otago to guide its development over the next twenty years. The design developed out of a comprehensive consultation and brief development process led by Colleagues in DEGW based in Sydney. The plan establishes a compact walk-able campus linked into the surrounding city. It comprises linked landscape gardens and quads framed by a mix of existing and new buildings. Social and informal learning spaces are concentrated along the main pedestrian circulation routes reinforcing the collegiate culture for which the university is renowned.

Sheffield Hallam University Master Plan 2007-09. Client - Sheffield Hallam University
Steve was the director in responsible for the master-plan to guide the future development of the university over the next twenty-five years. The project involved the review and testing of a wide range of alternative strategies for the future of education and learning, taking account of changing technology, demographics and teaching methods. The selected strategy was then developed as a flexible urban design proposal that, over time, will see the creation of a new university public realm and the gradual regeneration of the whole of the university estate. The project is now moving into the implementation stage.

Montivetro Tower Dublin 2005 completion 2010. Client - Treasury Holdings
With DEGW Steve’s team designed one of the largest buildings in Dublin, a landmark office development of 22,000m2, in the heart of the newly transformed docklands area of the city. The tower delivers a new scale of office space to Dublin providing the flexibility and floor plate size required by the new, rapidly expanding, indigenous, and international companies in the city. The project also upgrades links into the adjacent Barrow Street Station and will act as a catalyst for the wider transformation of the area.

SPark and SPark ONE 2007. Client - Quintain
With DEGW Steve led the master-plan for SPark, the Bristol and Bath Science Park with a capacity for approximately 77,000m2 of science and business space. SPark will provide a location that links scientific discovery and innovation with business and engineering to generate new forms of business. SPark will be an exemplar sustainable development utilising extremely low energy buildings with on site energy generation to minimise CO2 and other emissions. As well as leading the master-planning Steve directed the design of SPark ONE, which is the central business incubation and social hub for the site and was the first building to be constructed.

Spencer Dock 2006. Client -Treasury Holdings
At Spencer Dock in Dublin Steve led the DEGW team working with developer Treasury Holdings and the city authorities to review the plans for Spencer Dock to produce a new urban centre built around the newly transformed rail and tram infrastructure. The plan includes developing strategies to introduce areas of high density city planning and high rise tower buildings into the city for the first time.

Project Unity 2003-2004. Client- Manchester University
Design director for the master plan and estates strategy for the unification of the University of Manchester and UMIST to create one of the largest Universities in Europe. The work included the evaluation of the entire 60 ha estate, the preparation of a twenty year master plan to create a great urban University, seamlessly integrated into the economy and fabric of the city. The plan includes the identification and briefing for £250m of projects to transform the functioning and setting of the new university.

Manchester Knowledge Capital 2002-2004. Client- Manchester City Council
Design director for a number of interconnected projects aimed at developing a spatial, development, environmental and infrastructure plan for Manchester to facilitate its transformation into a world-leading city rebuilt around the requirements of the knowledge economy. The work includes the development of a strategic overview plan for 305 ha of the city linking the universities of Salford and Manchester; and, in addition, the preparation of a transport vision strategy to accommodate the growth of up to 50,000 new jobs in the metropolitan area.

Manchester Metropolitan University Estate Strategy. Client- Manchester Metropolitan University
Review of the Manchester Metropolitan University estate which comprises eight separate campus’ distributed across north Cheshire and south Manchester. The review identified the future development capacity of each campus for education or disposal and redevelopment. The Review document provided the base information to enable the University to validate and refine its consolidation strategy for the entire estate.

Other notable projects:
Concept consultation for Ahmedabad Metro System, visiting consultant to Ground Zero master-plan/ programme review, Urban design proposals for Edinburgh International Finance Centre; Master-plan design for Kowloon Station Hong Kong; Architectural projects include: The British Consulate Hong Kong; Peak Tower Hong Kong.

Teaching and Publications
Steven is a frequent speaker at conferences focused on architecture and the city and has taught at Universities in Hong Kong, China and UK including the Bartlett, and the Royal College of Art, University of Kingston.

Steven is the author of Kowloon Transport Supercity, published in Hong Kong by Pace Publications, which records the design, and building of the Kowloon Station project.