Rob is an urban designer/urbanist with over 30 years’ experience in both local government and the private sector.  He is particularly interested in understanding how the built environment shapes our experience of place, and is motivated by a desire to help create robust, liveable places that people can build an emotional attachment to. 

He set up his own practice in 2016 – rob thompson urbanism – and works across the country on a range of masterplanning, visioning, placemaking and urban design projects, for which he has won national awards. In addition, he is an associate lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.

Rob has extensive experience of Design Review as both a chair and a panel member. He is Chair of the North East Derbyshire Design Panel, Vice Chair of the Design Yorkshire Panel, and also sits on Places Matter! Design Panel.