Synopsis

This is a tripartite story from the position of the property developer director, directing business, through the supply of retirement-living products to customers, for profit. Part A examines common perceptions of property developers within popular culture and the architectural profession. Part B presents ‘George’, a fictional director at Pink & Knight, and composite character based on members of the board of directors. It explores George’s success story – and ways in which it is maintained by himself and others – and Pink & Knight’s headquarters, which provide a seat of power and outward projection to the business community. The story then shifts from a narration of George, as character, to George as narrator. Part C presents George’s thinking around a staff symposium called ‘Back-To-Basics’, which is used by the author to roll-call Pink & Knight directors, as well as unpack everyday operational challenges and business decisions.

Methods

Part A is informed by an under-populated field of literature that seeks to bring together the two disciplines of architecture and property development (or real estate), combined with an analysis of Hollywood characterisations of property developers and British television footage, including a documentary presented by film-maker Richard Macer (2018). While the latter glosses over some major issues – like whether building on green belt land is appropriate – Macer’s strength is in ‘finding characters’ (Seale, 2018) and finding empathy for a property developer. This method of empathetic storytelling is translated into an account of Pink & Knight.

Parts B and C present a fictional character and narrative, respectively, based on real events, researched through participant observation and document analysis. Primary data was collected from everyday interactions within the headquarters of Pink & Knight. The author draws upon meeting notes made during research presentations to company directors; field notes made while observing internal meetings where directors were present; headnotes from interactions in-between meetings, including conversations with the planning director while travelling to and from developments, and a 300-mile car journey shared with the design director while travelling to a planning inquiry. Documents analysed include Pink & Knight’s ‘Annual Report & Accounts’; design documents, including planning drawings and a ‘Design & Access Statement’ for the recently extended head office; electronic presentation slides from the ‘Back-To-Basics’ symposium, which include the managing director’s address to staff and significant contributions from the design and planning directors.