Rachel Haugh co-founded SimpsonHaugh in 1987, inspired by the belief in the power of high quality design to lead the regeneration of post-industrial cities and initiate new contemporary architectural identities. Rachel has had an integral part in building the practice’s strong project portfolio and reputation as leading urban and civic architects. She is a powerful critic and a strong sounding board at early project stages, as well as a passionate advocate of the rigorous interrogation essential to maintaining design quality through to completion. In 2015, Rachel was a finalist for the AJ Women in Architecture, Architect of the Year Award and nurtures future architectural talent as SimpsonHaugh’s key representative for the AJ/AR Women in Architecture campaign. She is also a member of the London Legacy Development Corporation Quality Review Panel, an independent team that advises on the design of major developments in and around London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and supports the work of the city’s Legacy Corporation’s Planning Decisions Team. Rachel remains personally involved in SimpsonHaugh’s projects, which currently include: 2018 WAF Cultural Building Award finalist, Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp; commercial projects, One Spinningfields and Two St Peter’s Square in Manchester; Circus West Village, the first phase of the Battersea Power Station development in London; and mixed-use development One Blackfriars, comprising a hotel, retail building and residential tower, which is transforming London’s skyline.