MUSE 40: ‘Muse understand that delivering regeneration at scale is about much more than buildings.’

As part of our 40^th anniversary celebrations, we sat down with Director at Cartwright Pickard, David Roberts. We spoke to David about his experience working with Muse, his favourite place, and what enables us to deliver great places together time and time again.   

Over the last 20 years Cartwright Pickard has worked with Muse to deliver several great places across the country. I have worked with the business for almost my entire career.

From my days as an Architectural Assistant when I was first introduced to ECF – the partnership between Muse, Homes England, and Legal & General – in 2009, to today, Muse has been an ever-present partner.

While the industry has changed, in the 15 years since I supported the delivery of Merchant Gate in Wakefield and the Waterdale Masterplan in Doncaster, Muse’s unique, holistic, approach to placemaking has remained consistent.

My proudest achievement with Muse has been the delivery of the RIBA award-winning Lambeth Civic Quarter in Brixton. Having lived in the area, I was eager to get involved in shaping the place and to see it done right. As a team, we made that a reality.

At the core of our approach – working in partnership with the London Borough of Lambeth – was the ambition to rekindle a sense of community and civic pride.

Muse are relationship builders. They built strong connections with the local community and listened to them to understand their needs. The team built effective partnerships – new and old – which promoted honesty, openness, and collaboration.

Muse are also problem solvers. They rationalised the council’s vast estate of 14 buildings, saving them money up front, reducing maintenance and running costs by £4.5m a year and cutting the carbon footprint by a third. Whilst doing all of this, the team unlocked and revitalised vital space for community use. This is now the scene of so many vibrant activities, from weddings to dance competitions, that celebrate the diverse culture of Brixton.

Muse gave us licence to contribute meaningfully to the neighbourhood through high-quality design, restoring a Grade II Listed town hall and the Art Deco Ivor House, creating a brand new civic and community hub, honouring the area’s history including a memorial to local activist Olive Morris, and delivering new homes and commercial space.

The regeneration of Lambeth Civic Quarter was always about more than buildings. It was about understanding, engaging, learning from the past, and then delivering a place that creates long-term value and a sense of place.

This combination – being relationship builders, problem solvers, and champions of high-quality design – is what enables Muse to be successful.