From Forgotten to Fantastic: How I Help Heritage Buildings Speak Again

A few days ago, I found myself staring at my sketch of the Riviera Hotel, wondering—is anyone even noticing?
I’ve poured hours, days, years of belief into capturing these buildings.
And yet, the silence can be deafening.

But then I remembered:
It’s not about applause.
It’s about voice.
It’s about giving buildings, especially the ones at risk, the chance to speak before they’re silenced forever.

And that’s what I do.
Not just with a pencil.
But through poetry, planning knowledge, stakeholder insight—and sometimes sheer bloody-minded passion.

My Why: Bringing the Unseen Into the Spotlight

I’ve always been drawn to the stories no one’s telling.
The garage hidden behind scaffolding, the cinema too tired to shine, the Art Deco airport just beyond memory.

These aren’t just buildings.
They are characters in our cultural story—ones that have been ignored, dismissed, or forgotten.

My role?
To make people feel something again.
To create a connection between past purpose and present potential.

Whether it’s through a drawing that captures a building’s better days,
a poem that lets it speak,
or a strategy that repositions it for a bold new chapter—
I help heritage sites stand up and say: “I still matter.”

It’s Not Just Art—It’s Strategy

Let’s bust a myth.
This isn’t just about “pretty pictures.”

When I create, I bring:

• 📍 Planning knowledge – I served as Vice Chair of a planning committee.

• 💡 Brand insight – 23 years as a strategic brand consultant.

• 💬 Engagement skills – I know how to connect stakeholders and communities.

• ✏️ Emotionally intelligent storytelling – My poems aren’t just rhymes. They’re rallying cries.

Take Brooklands:
Not just a racetrack.
A place where Kay Petre broke records, where Vickers bombers were born, where every engine roared with innovation.
I was honoured that. And I’ll keep honouring others.

What People Don’t Always See

Behind every artwork I create, there’s:

• Archival research

• Community memory

• A sense of what could be

You don’t just get illustration.
You get empathy-driven advocacy that helps unlock funding, fuel campaigns, or get projects over the line.

So… Why Now?

Because these places can’t wait.
Because your next big restoration project needs more than a conservation plan—it needs a compelling story.
And because if I don’t tell these stories, who will?

Let’s Talk

If you’re a heritage architect, place shaper, or dreamer who wants people to fall in love with a building again—
Let’s chat.

Book a no-obligation call with me: https://calendly.com/thebrandsurgery/30min

Together, we can bring your vision to life—visually, strategically, and with a lot of heart.

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