Holly Lewis appointed as Town Architect for London Borough of Hackney

07 October 2024

The Mayor of London has appointed Holly Lewis, co-founding partner of We Made That, to the role of Town Architect for the London Borough of Hackney. Funded bythe Greater London Authority, The Mayor’s two-year pilot scheme is part of the £1.25m Local Growth Capacity Support Programme, that will utilise built environment expert knowledge in ten locations to deliver Good Growth for Londoners. Holly is supporting design and placeshaping ambitions, and will be focused on Hackney Central.

Holly will be responsible for providing placemaking and design advice to the London Borough of Hackney on council-led development activity in the area, ensuring it is representative of both the council’s ambitions and the diversity of the local community.

We Made That recently developed the Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy, which sets out a ten-year vision and delivery plan for the area, informed by local people. Holly’s role will be to oversee and guide the implementation of the strategy, ensuring efforts are coordinated across the borough between various stakeholders and the community.

The council received £19.1m in Levelling Up Funding to deliver a series of interventions set out in the strategy over the next two years. These include improvements to a number of key transport routes, public realm enhancements and improvements to Hackney Central Library.

As the civic and cultural heart, Hackney Central is a focal point for activity in the borough. The council is aiming to create 1,000 new jobs and 3,000 new homes in the area, working in collaboration with partners to bring forward various initiatives.

This appointment complements her role as a High Streets Task Force Expert and a Design Council Expert, as well as her work with local authorities across the country.

“I’m thrilled to have the chance to continue to support the London Borough of Hackney in my new role as Town Architect. Hackney Central is just one of many places in London experiencing rapid change, with many exciting projects underway. With the support of this programme, I look forward to the opportunity to work alongside the borough in achieving the best possible outcomes for Hackney’s diverse communities.”

Holly Lewis

“Holly’s considerable expertise will complement the council’s own in-house design expertise, to make sure Hackney’s buildings and public spaces work for everyone.”

Suzanne Johnston (Hackney Council interim director of economy, regeneration and new homes)

The new Town Architect role is also being rolled out in nine other locations across London and have been selected from the diverse cohort of Mayor’s Design Advocates. The two-year pilot scheme is part of the Local Growth Capacity Support Programmeof MHCLG funding – out of which £180k is dedicated to the Town Architect programme.