Placemaking in Zürich: How David is championing human-scale design from behind the scenes

When we talk about placemaking, we often picture architects, city officials, or community organizers working directly with public space. But what about the people who influence projects before a single brick is laid? In this blog, we share the story of David: a Zürich-based consultant and former architect. He’s made the City at Eye Level principles a foundation in his behind-the-scenes work on urban development.

“The most important lesson for me? It’s people. It’s the local heroes. If you want to shape cities that matter, you start with who’s already there.”
— David, Consultant in Architecture and Urban Development

From architect to strategic influencer
David’s career began traditionally. He trained as an architect in the 1990s, working in both London and Zürich. But a decade ago, he pivoted from design to consultancy. Today, his work focuses on guiding developers, municipalities, and institutions through architectural competitions and early-phase project planning.

“We’re usually there right at the beginning,” David explains. “We help define the brief, set up the competition, and bring in the right planners or designers. Once the competition ends, we often step away.”

That role, fleeting but powerful, means David and his team have a unique opportunity to influence projects before they begin. And since discovering placemaking, they’re making the most of it.

A new perspective: The City at Eye level
David took part in the very first City at Eye Level training in Zürich back in 2022. “When I studied architecture, we never talked about people. We were taught to create beautiful, photogenic buildings – often pictured without a single human in sight. In my professional life as an architect I was always looking for the additional element, that gives a place its soul, but focusing just on Architecture was not able to deliver on that”

The course changed that. “Suddenly the questions I had about how to activate life found an answer. It shifted my entire perspective. The street level. The human scale. The lived experience. That’s where meaning happens. It made me rethink how we write our project briefs, how we guide clients, even how we look at a map.”

He credits concepts like “local heroes” and “hardware, software, orgware” as particularly influential. “Local people often already have the right ideas. You just need to talk to them. That’s where real innovation begins.”

A whole office on board
After his own transformative experience, David decided to take his entire five-person team on the course. “We all took the night train to Amsterdam, did the three-day training together, and came back on the night train. It was educational and a fantastic team-building moment.”

Since then, placemaking has become second nature in their practice. “Even when we’re helping a university design new spaces, we apply the principles. After all, a university is like a small city. You need public space, social interaction, and a sense of place. These ideas are everywhere.”

Integrating human thinking into development
While David and his team aren’t the ones pouring concrete, their role in shaping development is crucial. “We’ve changed how we structure proposals. When clients are open to it, we guide them through workshops that focus on the three pillars of placemaking: from community engagement to long-term governance.”

Most clients, he says, have never heard of “orgware”, the systems and stewardship that keep a place thriving. “But it’s critical. Placemaking doesn’t end at the ribbon-cutting. It’s ongoing. Cities evolve, and spaces need to be able to adapt.”

He admits, though, that not every client is on board. “Corporate developers – especially the ones driven by shareholders – aren’t always open. If they know the apartments will rent or sell no matter what, they don’t feel the need to invest in quality placemaking.”

But there are bright spots. David shares the story of a client who embraced placemaking fully, right down to shaping a unique, people-focused architectural competition. “The designs were richer, more thoughtful. The jury conversations were deeper. It was clearly making a difference.”

The power of local sparks
One case study that stuck with David came from Rotterdam. “There was a developer who found a guy collecting old railway carriages, and turned them into a pop-up restaurant on a bare patch of lawn. You couldn’t invent that from behind a desk. That’s what happens when you talk to people.”

For David, these unexpected sparks are what make a place real. “You need that one quirky person with a vision, something a bit mad but completely brilliant. That’s what gives a place its soul.”

Whole needs the course?
David believes the City at Eye Level training is especially important for those working in government. “City councils, planning departments, permit offices—they’re the ones who set the rules. If they understand placemaking, they can build it into regulations. That’s how you scale it.”

But beyond job titles, he says it’s about mindset. “If you’re curious, open, and willing to challenge the status quo, this course will inspire you. We need to stop accepting boring, lifeless cities full of chain stores. We can do better.”

Fighting for better cities
David’s passion for cities is palpable. “I love urban life. I love people-watching. But more and more, city centers all look the same. Zara, H&M, Starbucks. It’s sterile. We need spaces with life, with quirks, with meaning. That’s what placemaking can bring back.”

He admits that getting others on board isn’t always easy. “You leave the course full of ideas, but then you have to convince clients, colleagues, officials. That’s the challenge. The course should offer more tools for that—how to build your own credibility when you’re just starting out.”

But even with those challenges, he’s hopeful. “The way people use cities is changing. Online shopping is shifting retail. Vacant storefronts are opening space for new ideas. There’s a real opportunity right now to rethink what city life means. And City at Eye Level helps show the way.”

Want to rethink your city’s future?
Like David, many professionals are using The City at Eye Level to reshape their work and their worldview. Whether you’re a planner, developer, architect—or just someone passionate about vibrant, human-scale cities—this training offers a new lens and a supportive global network.

Apply here for our Berlin edition (2-4 June):
https://stipo.nl/event/city-at-eye-level-placemaking-training-2025-berlin-edition-english/?lang=en

And here for our London edition (25 – 27 June):
https://stipo.nl/evenement/the-city-at-eye-level-placemaking-training-2025-london/