Cura. Regenerative Placemaking. Shaping places to be people & planet positive.

Cūra [latin noun]: care, concern, responsibility.

The first regenerative placemaking practice, bringing ESG to life on the ground. 

We work with landowners, developers, architects and governments to create climate adaptive places that foster human engagement and promote healthier lives.

Why Regenerative? We believe in shifting the focus from minimising harm, to actively benefiting people and places.

What we do.

We’re unique in bridging strategy and delivery, from early stage place audit and vision-setting, through execution to measurement.

With a blend of short-term interventions and longer-term investments, we drive socio-environmental value to help future proof places.

Transforming ESG obligations into tangible outcomes and opportunities, driving footfall, attracting tenants and occupiers and ultimately increasing the value of the asset.

  • We generate place principles and vision, which help inform masterplan briefs & design.

    Place principles and vision are generated through research, analysis, insights, audience profiling and engaging with local stakeholders.

  • A strong place identity is developed to deliver on the Place Principles and Vision.

    We create an authentic narrative that is reflects the unique attributes of the place, with detailed audience personas (those who will live, work and visit).

    All this aimed at building profile and accelerating sales and leasing. 

  • Activating and optimising the ground plane drives footfall, differentiates from competitors, attracts residents/occupiers, supports retailers and helps creates communities.

    In short, activation creates the ‘place to be’.

    We deliver across the lifecycle of a project - from consultation, planning and construction, to launch - with relevant, impactful and hyperlocal interventions that deliver on the place vision.

  • Thanks to our proprietary Impact Evaluation tool, we track the success of a place. Benchmarking and measuring how a place performs in the hearts and minds of all stakeholders. (More below…)

Recasting Section 106.

Section 106 (S106) planning obligations offer a unique opportunity to shape development that delivers long-term value for communities.

When approached strategically, S106 can fund projects that go beyond compliance to create transformative social, environmental and economic outcomes.

It’s a powerful tool for regenerative placemaking - restoring ecosystems, celebrating cultural identity, and creating inclusive, connected communities.

By aligning contributions with local priorities and fostering collaboration between developers, local authorities, and residents, S106 can transform underutilised spaces into thriving places where people and nature coexist.

Our approach delivers long-term value not only for communities but for landowners, developers, and stakeholders invested in creating resilient, future-ready places.

Cura Regenerative Index

Powered by the Centre for Thriving Places

Measuring Impact. 

The Cura Regenerative Index presents a compelling picture of how a place performs across different factors; its strengths, challenges and placemaking opportunities to have a positive impact.

We’re able to track and report on quality of life in a place, relative to local boroughs and UK averages. With access to 70+ public surveys, we benchmark demographics, community, housing, active living, work, environment, etc. We can also measure the mental, emotional, behavioural and social wellbeing of citizens.

This quantitative and qualitative model has been developed in partnership with global wellbeing economic experts, the Centre for Thriving Places.

The Index measures impact for people, place and planet against our Cura Place Dimensions.

Cura Place Dimensions.

Five key attributes of successful places, where true impact can be measured and benchmarked.

Who we are.

Founded by place creation experts Jenni Carbins and Maryline Esteves, Cura was born out of our combined passion for meaningful placemaking and making a real difference on the ground.

We have more than 25 years international experience delivering purposeful placemaking for asset owners, developers and investors - including Argent, Stanhope, Lendlease, Landsec, Berkeley, Oxford Properties and the London Legacy Development Corporation.

  • Co-founder
    A strategic placemaking specialist, Jenni is committed to balancing economic and social value.

    She’s helped conceive and deliver world-class, large-scale urban regeneration and place transformation destinations and neighbourhoods, including Southbank Centre, King’s Cross, Greenwich Peninsula, the Barbican, Elephant & Castle, Thamesmead and legacy projects at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

  • Co-founder

    Maryline has extensive expertise in developing mixed-use regeneration projects across the globe, bringing together a deep understanding of workplace, multi family, retail, logistics, and life sciences from the early stages of product design to go-to-market strategies and placemaking.

    Formerly director of Marketing, Comms and Place at Lendlease, Oxford Properties and SEGRO.