stjernstedt returned to england after world war ii and began working for the london county council housing division. she was the first female architect to achieve grade i status at london county council and in 1950 she became the first woman to reach senior grade i status in any british council county division. from 1951 to 1955, she led the design team for alton east estate, a pioneering council housing estate in roehampton that later became grade ii listed buildings.