Sophie Camburn
About Sophie Camburn
Sophie Camburn is the Director of Integrated City Planning at Arup and a member of the Real Play Coalition Steering Group. She advises on mixed-use masterplanning, housing, mobility, and sustainable development, and advocates for social value through stakeholder engagement and design integration.
Current Role at Real Play Coalition
Sophie Camburn currently serves as a Steering Group member at Real Play Coalition, a role she has held since 2021. In this position, she contributes to initiatives aimed at enhancing play opportunities for children in urban environments. Her work includes collaborating with various stakeholders to promote play as a key element in city planning and development.
Director, Integrated City Planning at Arup
Since 2019, Sophie Camburn has been the Director of Integrated City Planning at Arup in Bristol. In this capacity, she leads efforts in developing comprehensive urban planning strategies that integrate sustainable development principles. Her role involves addressing the complexities of city growth, including housing, mobility, and mixed-use masterplanning.
Previous Positions at Arup
Sophie Camburn's career at Arup includes several key positions. Prior to her current role, she was the Integrated City Planning Leader, West, from 2018 to 2019. She also served as Associate Director, Integrated City Planning from 2008 to 2018. These roles saw her advising both local government and private sector clients, focusing on projects that integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) into urban development.
Educational Background
Sophie Camburn has a robust educational background in architecture and urban planning. She completed her MA in Architecture from the University of Cambridge (1996-1998) and a Bachelor of Architecture from the same institution (1992-1995). She furthered her studies with an MSc in City Space and Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science (2002-2003) and a Business Economics Programme at Imperial College London (2019-2020).
Industry Expertise and Public Speaking
Sophie Camburn regularly engages in public speaking on topics related to Cities, Inclusive Growth, and Placemaking. She is an advocate for social value through meaningful stakeholder engagement and design integration. Her expertise lies in creating inclusive places that align with sustainable development principles, and she often discusses ways to embed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) into urban planning.