Empowering others is where architects have true agency

Successful urban renewal will come through diverse actions that empower everyone to shape their future, argues Susanne Sharif

As our cities face mounting pressures – from climate change to rising social inequality – the architect’s role is evolving. For generations, the profession was seen as a trade, focused on technical delivery or as an art form concerned with crafting material and space. The architect created buildings, and the city housed them. Today, the picture is more complex and demands fresh thinking.

The most progressive urban thinkers recognise that the architect is more than a designer. Their work is about deep engagement, recognising the complex ecosystem of a place, and fostering the agency of those who live and work there. This shift acknowledges that cities are not static, singular entities but complex living systems, constantly being co-created by their inhabitants and wider ecosystems.

Our experience is that citizens often want to engage with urban renewal but are frustrated by opaque systems, inertia, lack of funding, poor maintenance and a lack of clear pathways to effect change. Communities are ready to move beyond tokenistic or statutory forms of engagement and demand meaningful participation in how cities might be shaped. They are also seeking more regenerative models that provide alternatives to dominant extractive practices and socio-economic unfairness. Architects and planners can be brokers of people, systems, places and landscapes, helping navigate these gaps.

The path forward requires a new set of principles – or a new social contract. The first is to embed local agency and community wealth-building at every level of the design process. Successful places build in community empowerment and stewardship from the outset, and we are seeing more and more places like this; places that foster environments where citizens and stakeholders are not just consulted but are invested and empowered co-creators of their environment.

Second, we must rethink how we educate the next generation of city-makers – students, built environment professionals and citizens alike. Education should move beyond technical training to cultivate a new generation of professionals who understand the complex social and ecological landscapes of our cities and bring them into their process. We know many are already working to improve architectural education and to equip communities and stakeholders far beyond the RIBA work stages.

Third, as we confront the climate emergency, integrating nature into urban design is now a necessity. In Glasgow, projects such as the Claypits Nature Reserve and the Seven Lochs Wetlands Park are already bringing benefits to the population’s health and wellbeing. As these initiatives demonstrate, ecology should focus on quality over quantity, and we should ensure that the environmental benefits of a green city are distributed equitably.

Finally, the language we use is key to a progressive design approach. The narratives we build around our cities influence how people engage with them. We have to abandon the exclusionary jargon of planning and procurement and embrace an inclusive, resonant language that reflects the lived experience and diversity of our communities.

When we consider these principles, Glasgow serves as a living laboratory for this evolution. It is a city of contradictions – a place ripe for progressive change, yet one that also faces persistent inequalities and a strained housing system. It is a city also rooted in activism and social justice, from the birth of the housing association movement to tenement refurbishments.

From the regeneration of the Clyde waterfront to the reimagining of its city centre and densification, Glasgow is grappling with myriad challenges that demand creative, just and inclusive approaches. And, in many respects, the city is getting things right, with infrastructural change, feminist city policy, exemplary blue-green infrastructure and avenues championed by some energetic and passionate leaders and organisations.

The city is a canvas for a new kind of urbanism. This approach is not about grand masterplans or imposing designs from on high. It is about a more democratic, empathetic and resilient way of shaping our world. It is about recognising that the ultimate measure of a city’s success lies in the agency it affords to all who call it home. We must be emboldened to keep pushing forward, to act as brokers of agency, to inspire positive change, and to build a future where our cities are not just owned but collectively shared, cherished and cared for.

Susanne Sharif is an architect at Collective Architecture  (Published in the Architect's Journal - 12th November 2025)