Do you have a favourite street you like walking down? You don’t know why: is it the width of the pavement, the way the trees are growing, or the dimensions of the buildings? For Sally Lewis, an urban designer and architect, answering these questions fills much of her day. Originally, Sally's father refused to support her studying architecture at university in South Africa, telling her there were no successful female architects. But she proved that she could, graduating as one of the top students, before going on to win a scholarship to study for an MA in urban design in the UK.

Since then, Sally has transformed her vision into an award winning practice, Stitch, initially refinancing her home to enable the start-up of the business. Her passion didn’t stop there; she also founded a charity, The London Neighbourhood Scholarship Trust, to help underprivileged individuals pursue studies in architecture. Sally is also a published author who continues to indulge in her love of writing whenever she finds a spare moment.

The shortage of housing was a hot issue in the recent UK elections, but it’s also a global concern. Sally’s insights into the challenges of building large-scale housing are both timely and relevant. Listen here for an intriguing journey that takes us from the port of Durban, South Africa, to London via Oxford.

For more information on Sally Lewis: https://stitcharchitects.co.uk

For more information on One Precious Life: https://onepreciouslife.substack.com/