Dr Michael Owens Email & Phone Number

I bring people together and encourage new thinking and practice for urban change in towns and cities. I encourage ambition and provide practical support to change places, economies and communities. I'm focused on the people who make change happen, as well as on the conditions that can unlock energy. I completed my doctoral thesis in 2018. I've recently worked on commissions in Salford, Greater Manchester, Stratford, east London and Nine Elms, Vauxhall. I have an ongoing engagement with Bow Arts Trust (see below) and I lecture via a college called ACCENT, delivering courses to Californian university students who elect to spend a semester in London.

London, United Kingdom

Bow Arts is a leading workspace provider for emerging artists. Providing space for 400 artists, Bow Arts is expanding. I'm helping develop the marketing strategy and grow the business.

Accent College London

I teaching a course entitled 'Rhetoric of London' with groups of students from the University of Southern California who are studying abroad in London. I also teach other courses at the ACCENT Centre including 'Policy, Law and the Police in the Global City' (University of California), Intelligible London (Washington University), and will soon be delivering a programme 'Society and Space' at ACCENT for students from Berkeley.

I learned the art of consulting. A sweet shop of interesting projects and experiences!

I managed a group of services including Parks, Regeneration, Planning Policy, Estates, and more. I helped secure the development of a new railway station at Mitcham Eastfields.

As Head of Development Policy at the London Development Agency, played a leading role in developing London’s Thames Gateway strategy and chaired the client group for the Lower Lea Regeneration Framework.

At Leaside, I came across some of the most inspiring urbanists and entrepreneurs of my career. People like Paul Brickell, Eric Reynolds and Chris Westwood taught me the value of backing people, and showing how dramatic change can be if you unlock people's energy, creativity and talent. I learned how good it can be be when you throw yourself into the thick of things

I managed the partnership's relationships with public sector planners, economic developers and others to drive forward PRP's planning, transport and infrastructure projects. These included the creation of a new access road from the A40, a station redevelopment project and a series of station improvements. I met and was inspired by the inimitable Tony Wnterbottom

Doctor Of Built Environment, Built Environment

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Philosophy And Sociology