The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
We are an energetic, socially-minded design practice that works with young people to create tangible outputs in their local environments. We design exhibitions, pavilions and architecture with young people, upskilling them along the way. We also develop programmes, deliver engagement strategies and prepare consultation events and workshops.
At the centre of our work lies an acute focus on empowering young people. We believe that we can positively change the built environment by bringing in a broader set of voices, ideas and experiences.
In this takeover we wanted to platform emerging built environment practitioners that should be on everyone’s radar. We are shining a spotlight on initiatives such as the forward-thinking People’s Pavilion by Beyond The Box, while providing examples of some of the latest youth-focused buildings in the UK.
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RESOLVE Collective have dropped some important cultural gems. From powerful playlists to exciting exhibitions, their ‘Tools for a Disorderly Practice’ will have you ready and equipped to challenge established orders.
We also look at the importance of mentoring, current changemakers in the architecture profession and the hottest grass roots organisations. From the stylish female-led Xcessive Aesthetics to AI guru Hamza Shaikh, you have a lot to look forward to.
We have also set the task of demystifying the term co-design. What even is co-design? It’s the newest piece of architectural jargon on the block. Much of our work centres around collaboration, so we are hoping to explain what designing with young people genuinely looks like.
Lastly, the POoR takeover features contributions from some of the most gifted young writers in the architecture industry, from Shamiso Oneka to Nana Biamah-Ofosu.
For every practice reading this issue, you have a role to play in making architecture more equitable and diverse by supporting emerging creatives. However, this does not mean inviting them to deliver a free talk to your workforce. Asking small collectives to do free work is both offensive and exploitative.
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If you really want to support small businesses, involve them in your projects, asking them to just do free workshops does not count. The first step is to genuinely try and get them involved. You are not giving them a helping hand; you need them more than you think.
These small collectives can bring something different to our industry and, if they are given the support to grow and develop, we will see a much more fruitful and powerful architecture industry.
Source:Tobi Sobowale
Shawn Adams, Larry Botchway, Ben Spry and Matt Harvey-Agyemang (l-r) of POoR Collective
A challenge
Before we go, we have decided to issue a challenge to those architecture practices which have suddenly noticed that diverse, socially-minded collectives look great on their bids.
1 Stop exploiting cool young designers to artificially boost your morality. Examine your own inherent structure and underlying beliefs before you use someone else to prop up your crumbling moral foundations.
2 Pay people for their time. Would you do an all-day consultation workshop for free? Didn’t think so. Recognise that many of these well-meaning small collectives start off as very precarious businesses in desperate need of genuine support.
3 Bring people in and stop pigeon-holing them. These are designers with valuable skills that can benefit entire proposals and therefore shouldn’t simply be stuck on workshops. Embrace the possibility that you might have something to learn from a new design process.
AJ issue October 2023
Subscribers will be able to read the latest print edition of the AJ on Thursday (19 October). Single issue-orders can be placed via the AJ online shop
Articles from the Power Out of Restriction issue will be published online over this week and next
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