People · Podcast guest
Simon Vernon-Harcourt
Director · City & Country
Design Director at City & Country. A qualified architect turned developer, leading the conversion of historic buildings into homes.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- City & Country
- Location
- United Kingdom
- On the podcast
- 1 episode · 2025
The story so far
The path behind Simon's work.
Simon Vernon-Harcourt is the Design Director at City & Country, the developer behind a range of historic building conversions and new-build housing schemes across the UK. A qualified architect, he leads the company's design work, from restoring listed Victorian buildings to shaping new homes within their grounds.
Before moving to the developer side, Simon studied architecture at Portsmouth University and worked in architectural practice, including at Branson Coates and Sheppard Robson, before a Cambridge-based practice through which he first met City & Country as a client. On the company's schemes he has collaborated with architects including Feilden Clegg Bradley and Richard Murphy. Simon featured on the Architecture Social podcast discussing his move from architect to developer, the craft of conversion projects, and his advice for aspiring architects.
Episode 0242 · Architecture Social · 39:17
Are Developers the New Architects? Simon Vernon Harcourt’s Journey
Developers are often seen as the people on the other side of the table, but architecture professionals can learn a lot from how they think about sites, risk, viability and delivery.
Inside the conversation
6 moments to start with- 01
00:00 · Introduction and episode context
- 02
00:52 · Meet Simon Vernon-Harcourt
- 03
01:29 · Simon's journey into architecture
- 04
03:29 · Transitioning into a developer role
- 05
06:55 · City and Country projects overview
- 06
10:48 · Challenges and rewards of conversion projects
Profile in brief
The work and context behind Simon's conversation.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- City & Country
- Location
- United Kingdom
Continue exploring
Meet the practice behind the work.
City & Country is a developer restoring and converting historic and listed buildings into homes, alongside new-build housing across the UK.
- Kent
- Residential
- Conservation
Podcast · moments that play
Start where the idea starts.
- 00:52Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
Meet Simon Vernon-Harcourt
- 01:29Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
Simon's journey into architecture
- 03:29Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
Transitioning into a developer role
- 06:55Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
City and Country projects overview
- 10:48Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
Challenges and rewards of conversion projects
- 15:42Simon Vernon-Harcourt · YouTubePlay this moment on video ↗Play on video ↗
Finding and procuring unique sites
Selected work from City & Country
Three projects, one connected practice.
A closer look at the practice’s work
Bath Press
The former Sir Isaac Pitman printing works is being renewed as homes organised around retained industrial fabric, courtyards and rooftop gardens.
View project →Factory No.1
The former W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco factory combines converted industrial buildings and new homes within a landscaped Bristol neighbourhood.
View project →Priory Fields
A new residential community at St Osyth combines two to five-bedroom homes with ponds, landscaped open space and coastal connections.
View project →