Marc Cairns
Marc Cairns is the newly appointed Associate Director of Place, Housing & Economic Infrastructure at Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). With over 15 years of experience in placemaking, regeneration, and community-led development, he brings a deep commitment to creating places that support thriving, resilient communities.
Before joining SFT, Marc co-founded and served as a Director of Place at New Practice (now part of Civic) for over 6 years, helping to grow it into a nationally recognised architecture practice for creative placemaking, public realm design, and meaningful community engagement. He has supported public bodies, local authorities, and major developers to embed co-design, social value, and inclusive approaches within development and regeneration, always with a focus on ensuring that people feel genuinely involved in shaping the future of their places.
Through his work he has helped to build an entrepreneurial, inclusive, and supportive environment for emerging architects and designers across Scotland - nurturing a new generation of practitioners passionate about people-centred, sustainable design.
His work is enriched by international experience: he has previously worked in New York City for Studio Daniel Libeskind and shared his practice in institutions and schools of architecture across the UK and Europe, including presentations at Biennales in Kosovo, Venice, and Lahore. In 2016, as a Churchill Fellow, he explored how young people can play a more active and confident role in shaping democratic and urban futures - an insight that continues to inform his approach to participation and place.
He has contributed to the sector across the UK through advisory and governance roles with the British Council, Design Council, Springburn Winter Gardens Trust, Cure Crohn’s Colitis UK, and Open Plan Scotland. Widely recognised for championing place as a driver of social, cultural, and economic impact, he brings this passion and strategic insight to his role at SFT, supporting Scotland’s public sector to plan, invest, and deliver better outcomes for communities.
