Our People
Paula Hirst
Founder and Director
Paula is a leader in the sustainable urban development and regeneration of cities and urban environments with over 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors, within the UK, Europe, and Middle East.
Paula has a successful track record developing and managing complex projects in multi-stakeholder environments including for Homes England, High Speed Two Ltd, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, Olympic Delivery Authority, European Investment Bank, Atkins, Arup, Future Cities Catapult, and the Greater London Authority.
Project experience includes some of the most largest long term new community and regeneration projects in the UK including Thamesmead Waterfront, West of Ifield, Euston, Old Oak and Park Royal, and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, as well as King Salman Park and District 49 in the Middle East.
Paula also leads research projects into key issues relevant to the built environment. Publications include ‘21st Century Communities’ launched by ULI UK in 2021, ‘Urban Innovation and Investment’ launched by the Catapult in 2014, and ‘Smart and Sustainable Cities’ published by the European Investment Bank in 2013.
Paula has excellent interpersonal skills and relationship management skills honed through leading strategies, programmes, and projects, bringing together different specialisms within and across organisations, with a passion for enabling projects which create positive impact for local communities over the long term.
Paula is the Director of Disruptive Urbanism, and leads all assignments of the practice. She is also a respected design review panel member with Design South East providing design review services to a range of local authorities across the South East of England.
Paula is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with an Executive MBA, Masters in Development Management, and BA (Hons) in Economics.
Associates
Disruptive Urbanism works with a range of carefully selected partners and associates in the delivery of its services tailored to the unique needs of a specific client, initiative, or project.