Sylvie Pierce

I founded, ran and sold a property development company, Building Better Health funded by Capital & Provident &, specialising in working with the pubic sector on health and mixed used schemes using outstanding architects.

Our first scheme was the conversion of a listed building into community use and residential for Shoreditch Trust. We then won three contracts with the NHS, across 12 London boroughs, successfully completing 14 polyclinics and related development. I won NHS Design Champion of the Year. The schemes won several architectural awards. We worked with Rogers Stirk Harbour, AHMM, Henley Halebrown Rorrison and Penoyre & Prasad. I was project director for the design and construction of Mossbourne Community Academy, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour, where I am now the chair of governors and deputy chair of Mossbourne Federation of schools. The school is very successful at opening up opportunities to students, who have for too long been denied these opportunities as a result of poverty and racism. We run an access to architecture and the built environment A Level course, providing speakers, work experience, visits and projects ie access to contacts and knowledge that would be much easier for more middle class students. We are supported by The London School of Architecture, the Bartlett, the RIBA and Rogers Stirk Harbour plus a range of architectural and engineering practices.

I am deputy chair of Dartington Trust, where I have initiated work on a 53 unit housing scheme with Rogers Stirk Harbour and Dan Pearson Studios. We are aiming to set a new standard in rural housing. Prior to moving into development, I was chief executive in new local authorities: Reading and Tower Hamlets. I have been on numerous boards.