Stephen Willacy

Stephen has been a practicing architect and urbanist for 40 years. He studied at Oxford Brooks University (BA Hons) and Westminster University (Dipl Arch) (1982) and is a chartered member of the RIBA and ARB. Stephen has recently completed a MSc in Cities at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is also a member of AoU and a recognized practitioner at Urban Design Group (UDG) and City Space Architecture where he is on the Advisory Board for Public Space.

Stephen was a partner at internationally renowned Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL). Stephen was partner responsible for two award winning projects, Sir Duncan Rice New Library at the University of Aberdeen and the new campus at City of Westminster College in London.  

Stephen has held teaching and research positions as associate professor at the Aarhus School of Architecture, visiting professor at Arizona State University and currently Honorary Professor University of Dundee. Stephen is currently guest lecturer for Mst in Architecture Apprenticeship at the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education and examiner at Danish Schools of Architecture. 

Between 2012-2021, Stephen worked as the Chief City Architect in Aarhus City Council, Denmark. Here Stephen had the overall responsibility for architectural quality and its stewardship where he prioritized continued innovation in relation to urban planning, urban design, landscape design and architectural quality.

Since his tenure as chief city architects concluded in 2021, he established Stephen Willacy Architecture + Urbanism. Understanding a context is of paramount importance when making sustainable places. Most value is created in the earliest phases of project work. Careful readings of local conditions, cultural heritage, landscapes geology and its vegetation, ecological habitats, built characteristics, scale, textures combined with micro-climate must be combined with local citizens knowledge and their idiosyncrasies foster a meaningful foundation for a qualified project.

 

 

Stephen Willacy Urban Design Group Recognised Practitioner