Where Strategy Meets Purpose
In a world of competing priorities and fragmented plans, Shape helps both public and private sector organisations make sense of what they already have and turn it into something that works. We combine strategic clarity, cultural intelligence, and delivery expertise to transform vision into action.
Founded by Benjamin O’Connor, Shape delivers practical, human-centred strategies that assist clients in strengthening existing frameworks, addressing gaps where strategies are missing or ineffective, and building the skills and confidence of their teams to lead lasting change.
About Us
Our Focus
Why It Works
How We Work
At Shape, we help public and private organisations develop better places by aligning fragmented strategies across various sectors, including culture, public realm, youth, inclusion, regeneration, and Net Zero. By employing human-centred strategies, we bring clarity and cohesion to where it’s needed most.
How We Work
Why It Works
How We Work
We combine what you already have with what’s missing to create one focused, deliverable plan. Our work results in clear priorities and aligned teams, ultimately creating a realistic roadmap that turns vision into action.
Why It Works
Why It Works
Why It Works
Our approach reduces duplication, builds internal capability, and delivers measurable, long-term impact. Clients benefit from strategy that yields better results, fosters stronger partnerships, and maximizes value from every resource invested, enhancing outcomes for a wide range of clients.
Why Us
We bring together world-leading specialists to deliver tailored results.
We’ve worked from the inside and know what it takes to make strategy land effectively.
We bridge cultures: planning, culture, infrastructure, delivery, policy, community, and design.
Our goal is to translate ambition into action and help others do the same.
Benjamin is a respected voice in London’s cultural and built environment sectors, known for his ability to connect visionary thinking with real-world delivery. Over two decades, he has led some of the capital’s most high-profile initiatives at the intersection of architecture, placemaking, culture, and public life. As Director of New London Architecture, he shaped city-wide programmes, advised on strategic direction, and convened critical conversations across planning, policy, and design. Benjamin is a sought-after public speaker and moderator, with over 400 appearances across major forums, and he continues to contribute to influential advisory boards and networks.
At Shape, Benjamin brings a unique ability to translate ambition into action — drawing on his deep experience in strategy, stakeholder engagement, and narrative development to help organisations create human-centred strategies that shape places that work better for everyone.