Every city faces tough development challenges, from meeting the needs of growing populations to tackling air pollution or finding local ways to improve economic opportunity. And action on these issues must align with cities’ transition to net zero and adaptation to climate risks.

We are active in hundreds of cities across the world supporting city leaders and authorities, investors, developers and community groups to shape a better future for their city. Our strategists, economists, urban planners, designers, and technical specialists are working across multiple cities that vary enormously in terms of their age, scale, and physical make-up, applying an integrated approach to solve their issues. Our aim is to produce more sustainable environments and buildings, improve transport connectivity, achieve cleaner air, provide better access to health and education facilities and stimulate more economic activity.

We provide a range of services that help us meet the needs of cities and shape sustainable futures.

As a global practice of over 300 architects at the heart of S.Jayalakshmi & Co, we harness imagination, technical rigour and deep experience, to create innovative and remarkable outcomes for our clients.

We believe in designing buildings and environments that are purposeful, simple, efficient and beautiful. These four priorities help us to shape all kinds of buildings, from stadiums to bridges to metro stations or places of work.

Great architecture is always centred around people – their needs, their lives, their choices. This central idea has guided our thinking for more than 50 years, building on our long commitment to ‘total architecture’ – where designs gain from the insights of every stakeholder and specialist involved. The results are buildings, places and spaces that enhance the human experience, and are sustainable and resilient throughout their lifespans.

From lead design to technical specialist architecture, we have expertise in a wide range of sectors and design across all scales and types. Our teams help clients to develop exhilarating sporting venues, produce environmentally ambitious commercial developments, connect communities through intuitive and efficient transport systems, and deliver cutting edge scientific and industrial facilities.

Architecture

Understanding how and why people traverse a city is vital to successful transport planning. Policy makers need to formulate policy, anticipate demand on their travel networks and identify the right investments.

S.Jayalakshmi & Co Modelling Lab brings together our experts in transport, energy, climate change and economics with data scientists, software engineers and designers to answer these challenges. We build models at city, regional and national levels that provide the insights decision makers need.

In modelling future demand, we run multiple simulations to produce a spectrum of likely scenarios, to capture uncertainties and highlight where sensitivities may lie. Our models are rigorous, enabling authorities to plan those future policies and investments with new levels of confidence and clarity. We have built our City Modelling Lab using open source data, drawing on the technical expertise of the community, and publish the open source software tools we develop. This allows public authorities to remain transparent and accountable.

City modelling lab

How we can help

Agent-based modelling

Traditional modelling fails to mirror the complexities of life and the rapidly changing transport sector. Assumptions on how people move and behave have grown increasingly inaccurate over in the past decade as choices have expanded in number and complexity.

The ambition for our City Modelling Lab is simple. To simulate everyone’s day more accurately and rapidly than previously possible. We capture that individuality by using Agent Based Modelling (ABM). We model each individual, each with a plan, each making decisions on where to travel, when to leave and what mode of transport to use. Each influenced by the choices of other individuals in the model and the evolving choices available to them.

Unlike traditional simulation, we model the ‘why’ as well as the ‘what’, gaining insights into complex behaviours. This allows us to better understand shifts in travel behaviour, establishing a truer perspective on the impacts of policy decisions, city planning and new transport schemes enabling more fair, equitable and sustainable decisions and investments for our society’s future.

Modelling city life

Cloud computing has unlocked the ability to model the complexities of city life at massive scale. As Transport for London’s ABM research partner, our model of the city uses over 1,000,000 agents each making 750 decisions over the course of their day. The acceleration in computing power now allows these high-fidelity models to run in the same timescales as less refined, aggregate models. It also opens the way for greater equity in transport planning, reflecting the needs of a wider range of people.

We build our models ground up, using travel diaries and census details to populate networks with individual profiles. Faster computing will also allow us to add more data sets and increase the accuracy. We are exploring how to overlay mobile phone and credit card data to create richer profiles, modelling individual behaviour at the micro level.

For cities of all sizes, attracting investment, developing a robust business case and establishing new models of funding and delivery, make the difference between hopeful ambitions and deliverable realities.

Having strong supporting evidence and a clear purpose enables projects to maintain consensus and withstand political and economic change. We act as economic planning consultants to many cities worldwide, helping leaders to align deep planning insights to local need and longer-term social and economic goals.

We help clients understand the economic potential or impact of proposals or policies, developing strategic responses, comprehensive solutions and area plans across the built environment. Our economic planning team works in collaboration with politicians, funders, transport authorities, and community leaders to agree a collective vision backed by practical, investable plans. We support cities to revitalise districts, develop innovation hubs, deliver appropriate housing, attract green finance, and protect what makes a place unique while reinventing themselves for the future. At a national level we also advise on longer term issues like macro-economic development and digital transformation.

Economic planning

How we can help

Research and business case

Our approach helps to understand how schemes can maximise return on investment, demonstrate value to society, and improve overall city resilience.

Impact assessments and evaluations

We help clients understand the economic potential or impact of proposals as well as the relevant policy, and to frame their strategies in response to both.

Integrate land and finance priorities

We work with spatial planning and design colleagues to provide an integrated solution which we test in line with planning compliance, carbon goals and return on investment.

Stimulate regional growth

We work with leaders, communities and governance bodies to build capacity in understanding and securing funding

We work with infrastructure developers, property companies, governments and landowners embed effective management of land, air and water through planning, delivery and operation of new and retrofit projects. Our service is comprehensive, including air quality, biodiversity, noise, community engagement, environmental assessment and management, land quality, water, resources and waste, and the maintenance and protection of historic environments.

We lead environmental assessments, management and reporting for high profile, nationally significant infrastructure and local projects. We also help central and local government authorities shape policy and guidance on managing environmental outcomes.

Environmental consulting

How we can help

Shaped by our engineering heritage and informed by our wide range of complementary technical skills, we offer rigorous environmental assessments and management practice to inform and communicate a clear understanding of the environmental issues and opportunities.

Understanding environmental feasibility

Well before a project has got under way on site, we help clients to understand the full impact, risks, constraints and opportunities of a proposed development or acquisition. This includes:

• Baseline surveys and desktop studies and assessments, site identification

• Planning authority and wider stakeholder engagement
  
  

Environment-led design

It’s important to ensure that a design presents the best possible environmental outcomes while achieving strong sustainable development goals. Our consultants offer:

• · Environmental assessments, enhancements and strategies

• · Nature-based solutions optioneering, design and engineering

• · Remediation strategies and mitigation

• · Developing and implementing Environmental Management Plans and Systems
  
  

Approvals and planning

Effective environmental strategy is how projects secure the required permissions. S.Jayalakshmi & Co helps clients with:

• Stakeholder engagement/public consultation

• Production of environmental statements

• Permits and legislative compliance

• Post-approval support
  
  

Delivery and operations

We also offer post-approval monitoring and reporting, to ensure that a development continues to fulfil its environmental performance goals and commitments.

• · Monitoring in accordance with environmental management plans

• · Developing and implementing environmental management systems based on or certified to ISO 14001

• · Procurement and contract management advice and support

• · Construction supervision
  

S.Jayalaskhmi & Co Foresight team explores an increasingly complex and ambiguous future. Our multidisciplinary team of futurists, designers and technical experts help our clients and partners to gain a long-term and insightful view of the future. They identify early signals of change, analysing the impact of major trends and explore future operating contexts. Using these rigorous methods, Foresight helps clients to make better decisions, manage opportunities and risks, and invest wisely.

Foresight uses a broad range of strategic and critical tools, as well as creative techniques, to engage diverse stakeholders in meaningful, structured conversations and research about the future. The goal is to unlock meaningful insights about the future and identify opportunities for organisational and technological innovation.

Foresight

How we can help

Trend analysis and scenario planning

How can you better prepare for an uncertain future? We use evidence-based horizon scanning to help clients understand the major trends and emerging signals that will shape their operating context. By making futures tangible, we build challenging yet plausible scenarios that challenge business-as-usual approaches. The goal is to inform an organisation’s strategic decision-making and identify valuable opportunities for change.

Imagining the future of pandemics

S.Jayalakshmi & Co has worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and key partners to explore what the future of infectious threats might look like.

Visioning and road mapping

How can you map a route to a better future? We use participatory ‘world-building’ techniques and speculative design to help you and your stakeholders articulate new futures for your organisation. Our methods challenge assumptions, inspire and provoke change and help you make informed decisions to achieve ambitious and transformative outcomes.

Engagement and facilitation

Future literacy

Futureproofing plans and strategies

How can you stress-test designs and decisions? We have created a unique evidence-led approach that incorporates practical foresight into planning, design, engineering projects and workflows. We work with you to understand your needs and then apply tangible insights from our tools that help you navigate disruption across increasingly uncertain and complex futures.

Teams and leaders need to gain the ability to consider the future – and the confidence to respond. We train your team in techniques that underpin this skill, and develop tools, assets and methods that will embed this capability in your organisation’s operations and culture.

Often the best decisions are reached only when everyone has participated and been heard. Our expert facilitators are experienced in managing and gathering insights and consensus from large and diverse groups of stakeholders. We use engaging and inclusive workshops and events to explore more robust, challenging and impactful ideas about the future – whether that relates to an organisation’s direction, new products, services or any other priority.

Identify risks and opportunities

What risks and opportunities are you not thinking about? We use our extensive trends and signals libraries, our understanding of change, creative and design-led research and our unique network of technical experts to help you identify emerging risks as well as future opportunities.

S.Jayalakshmi & Co’s Foresight team explores an increasingly complex and ambiguous future. Our multidisciplinary team of futurists, designers and technical experts help our clients and partners to gain a long-term and insightful view of the future. They identify early signals of change, analysing the impact of major trends and explore future operating contexts. Using these rigorous methods, Foresight helps clients to make better decisions, manage opportunities and risks, and invest wisely.

Foresight uses a broad range of strategic and critical tools, as well as creative techniques, to engage diverse stakeholders in meaningful, structured conversations and research about the future. The goal is to unlock meaningful insights about the future and identify opportunities for organisational and technological innovation.

Host cities

How we can help

Trend analysis and scenario planning

How can you better prepare for an uncertain future? We use evidence-based horizon scanning to help clients understand the major trends and emerging signals that will shape their operating context. By making futures tangible, we build challenging yet plausible scenarios that challenge business-as-usual approaches. The goal is to inform an organisation’s strategic decision-making and identify valuable opportunities for change.

Visioning and road mapping

How can you map a route to a better future? We use participatory ‘world-building’ techniques and speculative design to help you and your stakeholders articulate new futures for your organisation. Our methods challenge assumptions, inspire and provoke change and help you make informed decisions to achieve ambitious and transformative outcomes.

Futureproofing plans and strategies

How can you stress-test designs and decisions? We have created a unique evidence-led approach that incorporates practical foresight into planning, design, engineering projects and workflows. We work with you to understand your needs and then apply tangible insights from our tools that help you navigate disruption across increasingly uncertain and complex futures.

Future literacy

Teams and leaders need to gain the ability to consider the future – and the confidence to respond. We train your team in techniques that underpin this skill, and develop tools, assets and methods that will embed this capability in your organisation’s operations and culture.

Engagement and facilitation

Often the best decisions are reached only when everyone has participated and been heard. Our expert facilitators are experienced in managing and gathering insights and consensus from large and diverse groups of stakeholders. We use engaging and inclusive workshops and events to explore more robust, challenging and impactful ideas about the future – whether that relates to an organisation’s direction, new products, services or any other priority.

Identify risks and opportunities

What risks and opportunities are you not thinking about? We use our extensive trends and signals libraries, our understanding of change, creative and design-led research and our unique network of technical experts to help you identify emerging risks as well as future opportunities.

Our business investment advisors are drawn from the worlds of investment banking, financial advisory firms, management consulting and S.Jayalakshmi & Co own extensive engineering and technical teams. This powerful combination enables us to provide a fully integrated service that assists clients in making evidenced based decisions around managing risks and optimising returns. As built environment practitioners, we are able to support clients at all stages of the asset life cycle from policy setting, strategy formulation, planning and feasibility, to commercialisation, construction, operation and exit.

Investor advisory

How we can help

Economics and policy

Technical, ESG and commercial due diligence

Our insights identify risks, reveal opportunities and provide valuable advice about how an asset might be improved and risks managed.

As practitioners across the built environment, we have developed deep expertise in relevant policy, regulation and markets.

Our commercial and financial advisory service helps clients to make better informed investment decisions

Procurement advisory

We provide strategic, procurement, technical and financial advice to public entities procuring public-private partnership and other delivery methods.

Creative landscape architecture is about finding a connection and balance between the natural, technological and human worlds. Well-designed landscapes offer spaces for recreation, relaxation and social interactions, promoting mental and physical health.

Our landscape architects design schemes that produce a wide range of benefits, including managing stormwater and stimulating economic activity, social and emotional wellbeing, supporting habitat restoration, improving air quality and providing shade from intense heat.

We help clients to analyse, imagine, design and deliver thoughtful, regenerative schemes – developing everything from cities to parklands and urban public realm around commercial, corporate, residential and transport projects. By balancing functionality, beauty, safety, accessibility and environmental sensitivity, landscape architecture can shape sustainable, thriving and enjoyable urban and rural environments. Together with our architecture, urban design, ecological, planning, transport specialists, we deliver projects spanning strategic development plans, masterplans for new cities, districts and mixed-use developments, major infrastructure projects as well as streetscapes, public realm and green building solutions.

Landscape architecture

How we can help

Landscape design and masterplanning

We help clients integrate natural and built environments into their projects from the outset, maximising urban green infrastructure, improving local biodiversity and providing a sustainable backdrop to modern life.

Major projects and infrastructure

We always embed regenerative land management and nature-based solutions to restore habitats, reverse species loss and design in resilience to extreme climate change impacts, such as intense heat or flooding

Nature-based designs

We help our clients manage and mitigate the carbon impacts of their landscape projects by reducing carbon footprints and increasing sequestration in the places we design.

Landscape planning and assessment

Our landscape planning and strategy experts use our specialist research and analysis skills to inform and influence designs which respond positively to place and connect people with nature.

S.Jayalakshmi & Co develops masterplanning and urban design solutions that can beneficially shape the long-term development of our towns and cities. We think beyond just buildings, to encompass the wider and more enduring socio-economic benefits that can be achieved for communities.

We help clients produce inclusive and enjoyable places to live and work, that promote decarbonisation, protect and enhance ecology, and encourage active travel and public transport. Our expertise is underpinned by deep technical knowledge of interrelated infrastructure systems, from water and energy to transport and data.

We work closely with authorities and communities, to engage, design and deliver their ambitions. Our approach balances constraints and opportunities, from site conditions, social and economic factors and environmental issues, to market demands, regulatory and community issues. And we always ensure new development harmonises with the existing urban fabric.

Masterplanning

How we can help

Strategic masterplanning

S.Jayalakshmi & Co works as a masterplanning partner on urban development schemes of all sizes, from individual neighbourhoods to new cities, around the world.

Urban regeneration and adaptation

Lack of investment, rapid social change, industrial trends, there are many reasons why an area gains a need for regeneration.

Knowledge and innovation environments

Universities and innovation clusters are reshaping areas of major cities, attracting new talent in accessible locations.

Integrating transport infrastructure

Adding or extending public transport networks adds huge value to a city, particularly when the masterplanning is driven by a vision for wider socio-economic uplift.

Waterfronts and ports

In every country the development of the waterfront and port environment is shaped by a range of dynamic economic factors, from trade to leisure to demographics.

Inclusive, socially vibrant places

A thriving city is one that works well for young families, all socio-economic groups, that provides opportunities for work, leisure and travel to the abled and disabled alike.