What does it take to transform a gateway station into a place where people pause in their head-down commute to connect and reflect? Riccardo Cosentino and returning co-host Corail Bourrelier Fabiani are joined by Jonathan Ring, the Development Director for London-based developer Sellar. They explore the public art programme at Paddington Square—one of the city’s most ambitious and complex redevelopment projects.

Jonathan shares how the programme evolved from the early planning conditions to the final installation. His experience highlights the balance inherent in major projects, where diverse stakeholder voices, strict timelines, and logistical constraints pile on the pressure and teamwork is non-negotiable.

Public art may be a smaller portion of the overall budget, but its impact on the public experience is profound. This episode offers an inside look at the creative and collaborative processes behind curating art in a heavily trafficked urban space. It is a conversation about leadership, legacy, and how the spaces we build shape how people feel.

Key Takeaways

• Public art may be a smaller line item, but its emotional and social impact is immense.
• The earlier you integrate public art into a project’s design and planning, the smoother the process will be.
• Stakeholder management is about more than communication; it calls for timing, trust, and making space for diverse opinions.
• Delivering complex urban infrastructure requires balancing fixed timelines with creative possibilities.
• Strong, long-term relationships with designers and collaborators make it easier to solve challenges together.
• Rotating public art programs create ongoing opportunities for re-engagement and placemaking.

Quote:

“We're ​really ​trying ​to ​create ​a ​place ​people ​want ​to ​dwell ​in ​because ​it's ​got ​very ​interesting ​areas ​around ​it. And ​the ​public ​art ​really ​formed ​a ​major ​part ​of ​that, creating ​a ​place ​where ​people ​dwell ​in. ​What's ​great ​is ​now ​seeing ​in ​the ​summer, ​and ​I ​bet ​today, ​people ​will ​be ​sitting ​out ​in ​the ​square ​enjoying ​the ​public ​realm, ​seeing ​the ​art ​and ​enjoying ​it.” - Jonathan Ring

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

• Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/
• Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/
• Listen to Riccardo and Corail’s public art conversation: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/public-art-installation-as-an-intrinsic-part/id1683413407
• Follow Jonathan Ring: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-ring-4284398b/
• Follow Corail Bourrelier Fabiani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corail/

Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Can you rise up in the industry without an engineering degree? Kirsten Watson, AECOM’s Transit Market Sector Lead, is a case study in how continuous passion for learning and a celebration and honing your strengths—even when they don’t appear to be the perfect fit for a role—can lead to a varied and rewarding career. Co-hosts Riccardo and Shormila sit down with the transit executive on the interpersonal side of the industry in this episode of the Master Builder series. They break down the challenges and wins of major infrastructure projects and explore Kirsten’s career trajectory from private to public and back again. Their conversation explores the reality of the skills you really need (and don’t) for leadership, particularly as a woman in the industry.

Kirsten’s background in employment law and HR have instilled in her a deep respect for listening—to clients, to stakeholders, to the smartest person in the room. As she explains, that’s how she’s become the one who brings the right people to the table, and it’s how even now, as a master builder, she leads with learning and pushes herself to say yes to even the most challenging opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the ability to bring people together in agreement and collaboration transcends industry;
• How to challenge the misgivings of both internal and external skeptics when accepting a position in an unfamiliar field;
• The truth of the often undervalued HR skillset;
• The disconnect in big projects between the technology and civil components and who’s in charge of them;
• The ongoing challenge of providing proof of capability again and again as a women in infrastructure.

Quote:

“I ​think ​that's ​what ​I ​bring ​to ​the ​table, ​is ​the ​ability ​to ​bring ​other ​people ​to ​the ​table. ​And ​when ​we're ​talking ​about women ​in ​leadership ​and ​women ​saying ​yes. Bring ​the ​right ​people ​to ​the ​table ​and ​solve ​the ​problems through ​that ​team ​and ​that ​collaboration trying ​to ​learn ​other ​bits ​of ​the ​business ​so ​that ​you ​can ​actually ​do ​that ​work.” - Kirsten Watson

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

• Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/
• Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/
• Learn more about Kirsten’s work at https://aecom.com/en-ca/about-us/our-leadership/kirsten-watson-2/

Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Even traditional contracts can be collaborative with the right team. As a seasoned infrastructure leader who has served in government, private sector, and advisory roles for more than 15 years, Fred Antunes has seen this firsthand. His extensive experience delivering large-scale projects under P3s, design-builds, and collaborative models guides this wide-ranging and nuanced conversation with Riccardo. Together, they unpack truths and myths around what makes projects work.

Fred’s real-world insights help to highlight the power owners have to shape project relationships and outcomes, the dangers of shifting risk without support, and why alliance contracts call for experienced and deeply engaged teams.

Fred and Riccardo reframe collaboration beyond just a type of contract and offer up a compelling case for considering the unique needs, risks, and capabilities of each project team when choosing a delivery approach.

• The right people, mindset, and approach—not the contract itself—determine whether a project is truly collaborative (and successful).
• Fair and active engagement from owners through major programme challenges can mean the difference between a frictionless project and a contentious one.
• When public infrastructure contracts push all risk onto the contractor, collaboration breaks down—and so does performance.
• Having the right people on the team during high-stress phases can turn a failing project around, even if it means personnel changes.
• Experience across public and private sectors builds a more well-rounded, adaptable perspective on project delivery.

Quote:

“The ​thing ​about ​the ​alliance ​that's ​really ​interesting ​is, it’s ​like ​setting ​up ​a ​new ​company. ​Where ​you ​basically have an ​alliance ​leadership ​team ​​that ​is ​providing oversight ​and ​direction. ​They're ​like ​the ​board ​of ​directors. ​You ​appoint ​somebody ​who's ​the ​CEO ​and ​then ​you ​basically ​create ​an ​organization ​that ​includes ​people ​from ​the ​owner, ​the ​designer, ​the ​contractor, ​put ​them ​together ​and ​you ​may ​have ​somebody ​from ​the ​owner's ​team ​managing ​somebody ​who's ​in ​the ​design ​team, ​or ​in ​the ​construction ​team, ​but ​they're ​all ​working ​for ​the ​best ​outcome ​of ​the ​project. ​And ​working ​as ​one ​coherent ​management ​team.” - Fred Antunes

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

• Follow Navigating Major Programmes - https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/
• Read Riccardo’s latest at http://www.riccardocosentino.com
• Follow Fred Antunes at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-antunes-36912852/

Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.