A Creative Mind with a Strategic Perspective

Sara Townley joined SPACE in 2022 and leads the practice’s brand and communications. Working at the intersection of design and direction, she gives form to the studio’s voice, translating company values and ambitions both internally and externally.

With a background in Fine Art, she brings a creative edge to the role. She heads the in-house marketing team, working collaboratively on website rebrands, campaigns and award submissions, ensuring much of the practice’s output is shaped and delivered internally. Her approach is detailed and considered, reflecting the discipline of architecture itself.

Sara aims to capture the work as it happens, regularly visiting sites to photograph, film and speak with those who experience the spaces first-hand. Collaborating with photographers and videographers, and often stepping behind the lens herself, she distils architectural and sustainability thinking into compelling visual and written narratives. She also plays a central role in delivering the practice’s events, including the annual _shift conference and the year-long programme marking SPACE’s 70th anniversary.

Based in Northern Ireland, Sara works remotely while remaining closely connected to the Newcastle studio, regularly travelling across to spend time with the team and immerse herself in the energy of the practice. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga as a way to reset, and spends much of her time with family, her other half, and their dog, Rupert. For Sara, she believes in giving equal visibility to the people behind the projects as to the buildings themselves.