626: From Architect to Developer: A Dangerous Move or a Bold New Model? with David Cross of Skyhouse

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Apr 7, 2025

David Cross, the founder of CODA and Sky House Co, dives deep into the challenges of the UK housing market, especially the missing middle. He recalls a childhood experience that ignited his passion for architecture and shares his bold transition from traditional practice to property development. Listeners will learn about a crucial planning hack for gaining early support and the common pitfalls architects face when launching their projects. Plus, a scooter crash sparks a unique design test and leads to insights on finding the right funding partners.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood Inspiration

David Cross grew up in a terraced house in Barnsley, a town known for coal mining.
His father's DIY enthusiasm and the town's architecture sparked his interest in architecture.

INSIGHT

Vertically Integrated Model

Sky House Co. is a vertically integrated house builder and placemaker, handling all aspects in-house.
This model addresses the risk and quality control issues often associated with outsourcing to contractors.

ANECDOTE

Selling CODA

David Cross sold his architecture practice, CODA, after a carefully planned succession.
This involved mentoring younger staff, professionalizing systems, and a quick, decisive sale process.

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Most architects dream of building their own projects—but when it comes time to raise money, navigate risk, and manage construction, many find themselves stuck. Without the right systems, support, or business model, those dreams quickly fade under the weight of complexity and cost.

David Cross joins Rion Willard to tell the story of how he left a traditional practice to tackle one of the biggest problems in UK housing. In this episode, David shares the bold move that started it all—and the surprising childhood experience that planted the seed. He opens up about the risks, the wins, and what it really takes to build a housing company from scratch.

They explore what’s missing in today’s housing system and how David’s team found a fresh way to solve it. He also talks about the turning point that made him sell his practice and start over. If you’ve ever wondered how an architect becomes a developer—and why you might want to—you’ll want to listen to this.

Discover the planning hack that helped David get early buy-in before he even had land
The little-known reason most architects fail at building their own projects
How a scooter crash inspired a key design test
What to ask before choosing your next funding partner

To learn more about David, visit his:

Website: https://sky-house.co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkyHouseCo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/skyhouseco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyhouseco/

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