Urban Initiatives is an award-winning urban design and masterplanning practice and, since 2024, part of one of the world's largest multidisciplinary design and engineering groups, Sidara. Through our integration within Sidara, we combine the creativity and agility of a specialist urban design practice with the resources and expertise of a global network of over 55,000 professionals.
Careers & Courses
A wide variety of people call themselves urban designers. In one sense anyone who is involved in making places is active in urban design. Even if you do a university course in ‘urban design’, exactly what you learn will depend on which university you choose, as on other courses. The various urban design courses have different emphases, some focus more on practical design skills, others on policy and theory.
It is important to understand that urban design is not an accredited profession. There is no professional body that decides what should be on the curriculum of an urban design course, or what expertise and knowledge you need to be able to practise as an urban designer.
An urban designer needs a broad understanding of cities, towns and villages, and ways of making them work better. This involves understanding how the planning system operates, how developers make their sums add up, how to assess what makes a particular place special, how to make places easy to move around by foot and vehicle, how to bring life to places that have become run down, how to conserve historic buildings, how to make the most of the landscape, how to think about the future of small and large development sites, how to involve local people, how to make sure that projects actually happen, how to communicate effectively, how to negotiate, and how to write design policy and guidance.
That sounds like a lot of subjects! But they are all related, and each explains a bit more about how urban places work. The urban designer is not expected to be an expert on all of them, but it is essential to be able to see the whole picture.
Urban Design Jobs (View All)
Urban Initiatives
London and South East
Competitive
Closing Date: 31/7/2026
Planit
North West
TBD
Planit is a place‑based design practice driven by a simple but ambitious purpose: to design for all life to thrive in balance. As we move into the next phase of our Strategic Plan, we’re building momentum and looking to strengthen and grow our Urban Design team.
Our studios play an active stewarding role within their wider communities and ecosystems. Our established Liverpool studio at the Royal Albert Dock sits within a thriving creative community. We are proud to play an active role in shaping the city and the wider region
Closing Date: 19/7/2026
JTP
London and South East
TBD
JTP is an award winning placemaking practice of architects and masterplanners.
From our studios in London and Bristol we undertake placemaking projects at every scale, from cities and towns, to neighbourhoods, streets and the design of individual buildings.
We are currently working on a number of new towns, neighbourhoods and garden communities in the UK and are looking for enthusiastic and talented graduate urban designers who share our passion for creating sustainable and vibrant places.
Closing Date: 30/8/2026
JTP
London and South East
TBD
JTP is an award winning placemaking practice of architects and masterplanners.
From our studios in London and Bristol we undertake placemaking projects at every scale, from cities and towns, to neighbourhoods, streets and the design of individual buildings.
Our London Studio is seeking a talented and motivated Urban Designer to contribute to a number of exciting and high profile visioning and masterplanning projects for new towns, neighbourhoods and garden communities within the UK.
Closing Date: 30/7/2026
