Simon Rawlinson

Simon Rawlinson
Name	Simon Rawlinson
Occupation	Architect, Built Environment Consultant, Author
Nationality	British

Simon Rawlinson is a British architect and consultant specializing in the built environment, workplace strategy, and urban planning. He has worked across practice, policy and research with firms, public bodies and cultural institutions, contributing to debates on office design, workplace culture, and urban regeneration. His work intersects practice and scholarship, engaging with major professional bodies, multinational firms, civic agencies, and academic networks.

Early life and education

Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Rawlinson trained in architecture and urban design with links to institutions and mentors across Europe. He studied at schools associated with Royal Institute of British Architects, University College London, Architectural Association School of Architecture, and other applied design networks. Early influences included practitioners and theorists connected to RIBA President, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales urbanism debates, and postwar figures from the Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne milieu. His formative education exposed him to discourses shaped by Jane Jacobs, Le Corbusier, Christopher Alexander, and the legacies of John Ruskin and Georgian architecture conservation movements.

Career

Rawlinson's professional trajectory spans architectural practice, strategic consultancy, and policy advisory roles. He has collaborated with leading firms and institutions such as Foster and Partners, Arup Group, Gensler, AECOM, and Design Council. His consultancy engagements reached corporate clients including Barclays, HSBC, BP, Unilever, and public agencies like Greater London Authority and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He has served on panels and commissions convened by bodies such as Royal Town Planning Institute, Cabinet Office, British Council, and international forums like World Economic Forum. Rawlinson has also worked with university departments linked to University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and Imperial College London on research and teaching collaborations.

Major projects and contributions

Rawlinson contributed to major workplace transformations and urban regeneration schemes, advising on briefs for projects tied to Canary Wharf, King's Cross Central, London Docklands, Southbank Centre, and precincts near Paddington Basin. He influenced workplace strategy for corporate headquarters and large-scale fit-outs associated with HSBC Tower, Barclays PLC head office, and landmark refurbishments in The Shard and 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin). His work intersected with sustainability and retrofit initiatives promoted by UK Green Building Council, BREEAM, and LEED, and he engaged with infrastructure-linked redevelopment schemes involving Transport for London, Network Rail, and Crossrail (Elizabeth line). Rawlinson has shaped workplace standards and guidelines referenced by British Council for Offices, International WELL Building Institute, and municipal regeneration frameworks used by London Borough of Camden and City of London Corporation.

Publications and thought leadership

As an author and commentator, Rawlinson produced reports, essays and interviews disseminated through professional and academic outlets connected to RIBA Journal, Architectural Review, The Guardian, Financial Times, and sector platforms linked to World Economic Forum insight series. He contributed to white papers commissioned by UK Commission for Employment and Skills, British Council for Offices, Design Council, and industry consortia involving IFMA and CIPD. His written work engaged with themes developed by thinkers such as Richard Sennett, Francis Duffy, Benedict Anderson, and Edward Glaeser, and cited frameworks from ISO standards and policy approaches promoted by European Commission urban initiatives. Rawlinson has spoken at conferences hosted by TEDx, WorkTech, London Design Festival, and academic symposia at Bartlett School of Architecture.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career he has received commendations and recognition from professional bodies including shortlists and citations from RIBA Awards, acknowledgements from British Council for Offices Awards, and mentions in lists produced by Building Design (BD) and Dezeen. His influence was noted in industry rankings and feature lists by Financial Times property reports, sector awards by Property Week, and civic commendations linked to regeneration partnerships with Homes England and local authorities. He has been invited as an expert to panels convened by House of Commons select committees and advisory groups aligned with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Personal life and affiliations

Rawlinson maintains professional memberships and affiliations with institutions such as Royal Institute of British Architects, British Council for Offices, Urban Land Institute, and Chartered Institute of Building. He has collaborated with non‑profit and cultural organisations including Architecture Foundation, National Trust, and Heritage Lottery Fund on policy and advocacy projects. His civic participation includes advisory roles in community-led regeneration networks involving London Legacy Development Corporation and engagement with international collaborations mediated by UN-Habitat. He lives in the United Kingdom and participates in public debates with commentators from The Times, The Economist, and broadcast forums on BBC Radio 4 and ITV News.

Category:British architects Category:Urban planners