Petra Marko Selected to Join National Infrastructure Commission Young Professionals Panel
Petra Marko has been selected to join the National Infrastructure Commission’s (NIC) Young Professionals Panel. The Panel was set up to find the brightest and the best of the UK's professionals to help inform its work. This new initiative from the Commission, the independent body tasked with advising government on the UK’s long-term infrastructure, aims to ensure a strong voice for the next generation of infrastructure leaders for the country. Over 500 entries were received from across a wide range of professions and locations and shortlisted candidates were interviewed last month with 16 being appointed onto the Panel. The Panel will support the Commission across a wide range of infrastructure programmes as well as developing their own ideas to enhance long-term infrastructure for the UK.
Professor Sadie Morgan, Commissioner and chair of the YPP Selection Panel, said: “The selection team was blown away by the quality of the short-listed candidates. It was tough choosing from over 500 fantastic entries, but in these sixteen young professionals we have a passionate and diverse group which I hope will inspire the Commission with their creative ideas about the UK’s future infrastructure needs.”
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Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “The Commission exists to identify what infrastructure the country needs up to 2050. So it’s right we give the next generation of infrastructure leaders a say in our work. I look forward to working with these young professionals, some of whom could end up designing and managing world-leading infrastructure built as a result of Commission recommendations.”
Petra Marko, Co-founder of Marko&Placemakers said: “We set up Marko&Placemakers with the mission to apply people-oriented design approach to strategic processes that shape our cities. It is these early stages of decision making that impact on how places will evolve for years to come. I am therefore thrilled to have been selected onto the Panel and I hope to bring a people focused placemaking perspective into the Panel’s work to inform UK’s infrastructure planning.”
Petra Marko has also been part of the VeloCity multi-disciplinary team who recently won the NIC Cambridge to Oxford Growth corridor competition. Government predictions state that the corridor needs to accommodate in excess of one million new homes by 2050. With significant new rail infrastructure planned to assist accessibility and connectivity, VeloCity creatively links new infrastructure with sustainable placemaking. The team are working with potential partners to help facilitate the delivery of the ideas and strategies contained within the VeloCity proposition.