“Beauty will save the world”
-Fyodor Dostoevsky
How I Can Help
I work with communities and organizations to honour their history, strengthen their identity, and shape sustainable, resilient places for the future.
Through heritage planning, design, and project management, I help uncover the story of a place, identify its strengths and challenges, and develop practical, future-ready strategies.
My approach is rooted in thoughtful integration, balancing growth and stewardship so that every change protects what’s meaningful while making room for what’s next.
Whether you’re caring for a historic site, planning new development, or reimagining how existing buildings fit into your community’s future, I’ll work with you to create places that are beautiful, sustainable, and connected.
Bridging Sustainability and Heritage to Help Communities Grow Wisely
I help communities adapt and grow, thoughtfully, sustainably, and in a way that honours their unique identity. My work brings together expertise in heritage conservation, design, planning, and project management to offer a balanced, future-focused approach to community development.
I work with towns, cities, and developers facing the pressures of rapid change, guiding them through heritage planning processes such as Heritage Impact Assessments, Statements of Significance, and Heritage Conservation District studies. I also provide design and planning consulting to ensure new projects respect local character while meeting modern needs.
With a background in both environmental policy and heritage conservation, I understand how our built environment—buildings, streetscapes, and public spaces—can adapt to the challenges of a changing climate while preserving the cultural value that makes each community unique. My goal is to ensure that growth enhances, rather than diminishes, a community’s identity..
Angus Affleck
Founder, Wise Cities Consulting
Angus Affleck has spent his career at the intersection of the heritage and environmental sectors, developing a deep understanding of how our built environment can adapt to the challenges of a rapidly changing climate—without losing its sense of place.
A graduate of the Willowbank School and Centre for Cultural Landscapes, Angus’s work is grounded in the belief that heritage conservation and sustainable development are two sides of the same coin. His passion lies in helping communities recognize the value of their existing buildings, cultural landscapes, and local economies as essential tools for building a more resilient, sustainable future.
Angus’s career has spanned public policy, private consulting, and design planning. He has worked for the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change for Ontario, contributed to leading environmental think tanks, and provided heritage consulting services across both public and private sectors. This diverse experience has given him a unique perspective on how communities can leverage their place-based wealth—historic buildings, streetscapes, and public spaces—as part of a smart, sustainable growth strategy.
In founding Wise Cities Consulting, Angus brings his expertise to communities facing change, helping them adapt in ways that honour their history, strengthen their identity, and create lasting value for future generations.
