13 Tammi 2025

From Setbacks to Success: Ste Taylor’s Journey to Head of Design at Turley

Career setbacks can feel final in the moment, but in architecture and urban design they can also push people towards better-fitting roles and more useful expertise.

Stephen Drew speaks with Ste Taylor, Head of Design at Turley, about moving from architecture into urban design, dealing with redundancy, building confidence and working with design codes at a time when housing quality is under pressure.

The conversation covers:

How Ste moved from architecture into urban design
What redundancy and imposter syndrome taught him about career resilience
Why design codes matter for housing, planning and public quality
How Turley approaches design, planning and development advice
What AI and policy changes could mean for the future of urban design

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▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX-nB5NhPwA

📝 Read the full write-up, with the key takeaways:
https://architecturesocial.com/podcast/from-setbacks-to-success-ste-taylors-journey-to-head-of-design-at-turley/

Architecture Social is where architects and designers find honest career advice, insight from practice, and live roles worth applying for:
https://architecturesocial.com/

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and countdown
01:28 Meet Ste Taylor, Head of Design at Turley
01:54 Ste's journey into architecture
02:49 Overcoming imposter syndrome
06:21 Moving from architecture into urban design
13:31 Career challenges and redundancy
19:15 Joining Turley and career growth
21:19 Turley projects and design work
26:47 Understanding design coding
28:44 The role of the Office for Place
29:07 Design codes in the UK
30:37 Personal reflections on design coding
31:58 Government policy and design quality
33:35 Optimism for the future
36:36 AI in architecture and planning
44:40 Career reflections
50:08 Final thoughts and contact details

(00:00) - Introduction and Countdown
(01:28) - Meet Stephen Taylor: Head of Design at Turley
(01:54) - Stephen's Journey into Architecture
(02:49) - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
(06:21) - Transition from Architecture to Urban Design
(13:31) - Navigating Career Challenges and Redundancy
(19:15) - Joining Turley and Career Growth
(21:19) - Showcasing Turley's Projects
(26:47) - Understanding Design Coding
(28:26) - Understanding Design Coding
(28:44) - The Role of the Office of Place
(29:07) - The Evolution of Design Codes in the UK
(30:37) - Personal Reflections on Design Coding
(31:58) - The Impact of Government Policies on Design
(33:35) - Optimism for the Future
(36:36) - The Role of AI in Architecture
(44:40) - Personal Career Reflections
(50:08) - Final Thoughts and Contact Information

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