People · Podcast guest
Simon Vernon-Harcourt
Are Developers the New Architects? Simon Vernon Harcourt’s Journey
Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design Director at City & Country, on converting historic buildings into homes. Hear his Architecture Social podcast episode.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- City & Country
- Location
- United Kingdom
Conversation
The thinking behind the work.
Episode 0242 · Architecture Social
Are Developers the New Architects? Simon Vernon Harcourt’s Journey
Join us on the Architecture Social show as we dive into the world of historic building conversions and modern design with Simon Vernon-Harcourt, the Design Director at City and Country. Simon shares his journey from studying architecture to working in various renowned architectural practices, and ultimately transitioning to a developer role. We discuss the intricacies and challenges of restoring Victorian buildings, the impact of new technologies, and the evolving landscape of architecture. Simo
Explore episode moments
Use the timestamps below to find each moment in the full episode.
Selected work
Selected work.
Bath, United Kingdom
Bath Press
The former Sir Isaac Pitman printing works is being renewed as homes organised around retained industrial fabric, courtyards and rooftop gardens.
Explore the project ↗Bristol, United Kingdom
Factory No.1
The former W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco factory combines converted industrial buildings and new homes within a landscaped Bristol neighbourhood.
Explore the project ↗St Osyth, Essex, United Kingdom
Priory Fields
A new residential community at St Osyth combines two to five-bedroom homes with ponds, landscaped open space and coastal connections.
Explore the project ↗About
The story so far.
The person behind the 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.
The practice
City & Country
City & Country is a developer restoring and converting historic and listed buildings into homes, alongside new-build housing across the UK.
Architecture practice · Kent
Expertise
What I bring.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- City & Country
- Location
- United Kingdom
- On the podcast
- 1 episode · 2025
Profile updates
Something needs updating?
Claim your profile, suggest a correction or report a concern. Our team reviews every report.