Claire is an Associate Director at Prior + Partners a member of the ARB and the RIBA. Claire is a highly experienced and creative architect and urban designer. She has a huge range of experience in masterplanning, regeneration and public realm design, with particular expertise in developing a clear strategic vision with clear delivery approaches to support implementation.
Claire is particularly interested in the challenge of masterplanning in complex environments and strives to plan for people friendly places. She has provided urban design and architectural input to a wide range of projects, where she has demonstrated her ability to develop visionary yet realistic design-led proposals to create a distinctive sense of place. Claire has a skill for producing quick captivating hand drawn sketches that clearly and effectively communicate concepts and ideas.
Previous to joining Prior + Partners Claire was an Associate at Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design.
Aylesbury Garden Town Masterplan, Buckinghamshire
Claire was the urban design lead on this project and particularly concentrated on the town centre improvements strategy. Prior + Partners supported Alan Baxter in the development of a Masterplan for Aylesbury – awarded Garden Town Status by Government in 2017. The plan sets out a town-wide strategy for harnessing identified growth of over 16,000 homes to 2033 to be taken forward as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to Aylesbury Vales Local Plan. In addition a strategic narrative to 2050 has been prepared defining key principles, objectives and strategy for the town.
Google New Communities, Moffett Park + San Jose, USA
Claire has recently been involved with proposals for new residential areas promoted by Google in the Silicon Valley Area of the west coast of the United States. Claire has led the design concept work particularly considering new residential typologies that respond to the clients agenda in terms of sustainability.
Silvertown Masterplan, London
Claire has been involved with the latest scheme led by LendLease for Silvertown Quays - having worked on a scheme for the site more than 10 years ago!! The latest proposals propose a mixed use residential led neighbourhood and a reserved matters application is about to be submitted.
North Essex Garden Communities, Essex
Proposals for two large new communities to the east and west of Colchester. Currently in the early stages of this project and working on what the different narratives are for innovation within a new community. Claire is the Urban Design lead for Prior + Partners and will head up the strategic design process.
Romford Town Centre Development Framework, London
The Development Framework provided a new focus for the growth of Romford and looked ahead to a situation after Cross Rail and provided for the densification of the metropolitan centre. Claire led the overall strategy and focused on the preparation of mini briefs for detailed areas of the town centre which pulled together to form the overall strategy. The TCDF has since led to further studies and strategies both for the new local plan and for borough wide estate housing growth.
London Borough of Havering
Most recently she has led on a series of studies and strategies for Havering. She led the feasibility work on the Waterloo Estate, a 4ha 285 unit self contained estate next to Romford Town Centre where a wide range of proposals were tested varying from infill to wholesale regeneration and intensification. Claire went on to act for Havering in a team led by Savills as the council searches for a developer partner to take on 12 of its estates.