Submission by Transition by Design Cooperative.
Being a good ancestor
Practice
1. Does the practice have a clearly stated purpose aligned with the planetary emergency? We are looking for a bold ambition here, and a practice culture which recognises the need for long-term thinking. For example, a strong mission, a theory of change, or a sustainability roadmap.
Transition by Design’s object within its articles is as follows: The objects of the Co-operative are to carry on activities which benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) to facilitate the transition to an equitable and convivial low carbon society. Our North Star: To lead the way in strategically designing sustainable neighbourhoods that address complex problems in the world we live in. We strive to enable a socially and environmentally just transition to an ecologically sustainable and convivial future. Our approach is community-oriented, inclusive and collaborative delivering breakthrough and bedrock projects that inspire, challenge and change the way we live. Our work is motivated by the belief that collaboration combined with good design and research can solve multifaceted challenges and improve the world we live in.
2. Does the practice have a clear succession plan, which passes on ownership and protects the values and legacy of those who built and contributed to the practice? For example is the practice an employee owned trust.
Yes, the organisation is a cooperative, meaning that all members have ownership and management of the organisation, we are one of only 5 registered architecture & design cooperatives in the country. This leads to seamless transitions between leadership. For example, one of the co-founders moved on 3 years ago seamlessly with no issues. As a cooperative we have voluntary & open membership: the basis of all cooperatives is owning the means of production. This means there are no shareholders, no external owners, no bosses – just collective ownership. All employees are invited to become members after probation. We actively encourage people to become members so they have ownership over their own work and can shape the direction of the organisation. We exercise democratic member control: Anything that affects the whole cooperative is decided democratically with the entire membership. We are a Community Interest Company, further embedding our values.
3. Does the practice share research and knowledge for the benefit of society and the wider world? For example, you regularly carry out post occupancy evaluation and share information with others.
As a cooperative, one of our core values is Concern for the Community: Transition by Design is heavily rooted in Oxford and we are well connected to community groups across the city as well as local activists focusing on housing and social justice. We want to be a known and trusted organisation within Oxford, where we support and contribute to our community. We are community engagement specialists as well as architects. All of our community engagement has publicly accessible reports and we share best practices with others in the industry. We have completed retrofit studies and reports for City Councils (Oxford & Cambridge) which are publicly accessible, to enable people to be on the route towards a sustainable way of living, for homeowners, landlords, tenants and housing associations. We offer renumeration to members of the public who participate in our research or actively contribute towards project outcomes.
Project
1. Does the practice advocate for long-term thinking at the outset of projects? Do you initiate projects with long-term thinking and challenge the client on design life? Also, can the practice demonstrate that this approach has worked – with a shorter or longer design life, or an innovative approach to financing or payback period?
Yes absolutely. We regularly engage with clients such as local authorities, charities and community land trusts / community-led housing groups. Deeply embedded within our sustainability mindset is to future proof and think of projects in the long-term. For example, Thame Community Land Trust, where we are community-led housing advisors and the architects. We engaged in workshops to ensure that the Trust had a robust framework and governance as an organisation, we ensured that they could create a framework to ensure that the land they will be purchasing is affordable in perpetuity, the housing is designed with low carbon materials, and the price of rents and sale will be genuinely affordable according to the local salaries of the community of Thame. The project is currently on site and we believe we have embedded these principles in the long term for generations to come.
2. Do your projects take account of the future climate and the need for resilience? For example, do the projects demonstrate flexibility, design for adaptation, design for disassembly, non-deterministic solutions, or demountable structures.
Yes, we have just recently submitted a project for planning which involves two 1-bed 1-person units for people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping on a large garden plot in Oxford. It is in partnership with a housing and homelessness charity. They are built with a modular timber structure, ensuring that the buildings are adaptable but also demountable structures to mean it can be relocated in future or repurposed. We always specify low carbon materials across our projects, and are prioritising timber structures throughout to enable us to respond to future climate and need for resilience. We’re always advocating and designing for biodiversity across all of our schemes. In our community engagement for larger schemes, we are always pushing for design for adaptation to future proof community centres, leisure centres and public buildings for responding to climate needs.
3. Do the majority of your projects go beyond mitigating negatives and towards optimising positives? For example, are they meeting or exceeding the RIBA 2030 Challenge.
Yes they are meeting and exceeding the RIBA 2030 challenge. For example, our breakthrough Barton Park 3B project where we are looking to achieve the 2050 LETI carbon positive embodied carbon target of >100kgCO2e/m2. This was a challenge with complying with planning codes. However, early embodied carbon modelling combined architectural design and imagery and presented a strong case to the planning officers. The embodied carbon modelling also included end of life carbon and reasonable assumptions of replacing the materials over the building’s lifespan. We are always looking at embodied carbon of all the construction materials we engage with, looking at low carbon solutions, as well as ensuring that operational energy is below the targets. We always specify renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic panels, ASHP, MVHR etc.
Co-evolving with nature
Practice
1. Does the practice use biophilia within the office or regularly host meetings and retreats in natural settings? For example do you have extensive planting within the office or rely on natural patterns and imagery for stress relief or quiet areas.
We regularly encourage one-to-one team meetings within our nature. We are located along the canal in Oxford, next to a beautiful reserve, Port Meadow, a 5-minute walk from our studio. We have had strategy discussions as a team by going out for a walk in nature. We have an annual team away day in a natural environment, which happens to be happening in 2 weeks’ time of writing this. We actively encourage active transport, and 80% of the team cycle to work, and prioritise train, bus or cycle travel to site (occasionally with surprised looks from contractors). We have extensive planting in the office; a weekly watering task, but we get there; with an extremely healthy Ficus elastica, of which I wish I can share in image. We also have a sofa where we encourage team members to read or rest, as well as a standing desk and flexible chairs.
2. Can the practice share examples where it has considered nature in decision making? For example by having a nature proxy to encourage eco-centric decision making, using natural systems as inspiration for the company structure, recognising the seasonal nature of people’s capacity and workload or celebrating equinoxes and solstices together.
As above, we encourage discussions in nature, whether by the canal or during a walk. Our companies structure uses sociocratic decision making principles, which naturally involves circles, rhythms and cycles on enabling rotating and discussion between team members. We are compassionate and understanding of the body’s natural cycles, and for menstruating team members, we allow them to work from home, rest on the sofa in the office, or take the time that they may need if they do not have the capacity to work. We also are accommodating to members who struggle with the winter season, enabling them to work from home for the afternoon, if they fear travelling home in the dark, and encouraging them to work remotely if they are particularly struggling with getting to and from work.
3. Is the practice supporting nature locally and nationally? For example, does the practice support local gardens, gardeners, planting programmes, rewilding programmes or advocate for changes in legislation to protect nature.
Yes, we work in a building which we co-founded, Makespace Oxford on Aristotle Lane, there is an outside lawn which has planters. Every spring and summer time, team members get involved with the local planting programmes that happen within the area. Our office is located in the same building as Good Food Oxfordshire, of which we have participated in a mapping exercise for identifying spaces for growing food in communities across the city of Oxford. We also are involved with planting and watering plants across the building, creating a green and natural environment indoors. We are always pushing for changes in legislation around biodiversity in design.
Project
1. Can the practice demonstrate projects which strive to match the performance of a mature ecosystem? As a minimum this would mean achieving biodiversity net gain.
Yes, our Thame Community Land Trust scheme is achieving biodiversity net gain. It is currently on site and will be a scheme that demonstrates striving to match the performance of a mature ecosystem. We designed in a sensitive manner to ensure that a minimal amount of trees would be removed to enable the development, and overall we are planting more trees on the site with the scheme. Each house has access to outdoor green space, with a common green.
2. Is the practice working on material stewardship? For example, evidence could be shown through repeated use of low carbon materials, extensive material libraries and research or publications supporting responsible use of materials and elimination of waste.
We have a material library and online database / specifications with low carbon materials that we refer to for each of our projects. We have several samples of products within our studio, with one of our colleagues recently bringing samples of aerated aggregate made from recycled materials, from a project which is currently on site. We subscribe to major publications which include information on using responsible materials and limiting waste.
3. Do the majority of projects demonstrate the use of biologically-inspired approaches such as Bioregionalism, Biophilia, Biomimicry, Ecomimicry (also referred to as Ecosystems Thinking, Industrial Ecology or Industrial Symbiosis) or BioTRIZ?
Yes the majority of our projects take this approach, namely, Barton Park 3B and Thame Community Land Trust, as mentioned previously.
Creating a just space for people
Practice
1. Does the practice have a progressive EDI policy and can you evidence many forms of diversity, which are welcomed and acknowledged, within the practice?
Yes, we are a black-led and female-led architecture and design cooperative, the only one in the country. Outside of cooperatives, there are only a handful of black & female-led practices. Our recruitment policy embeds EDI principles, we have had a reading & learning group on diversity, we are currently engaging in research into the interrelationship between intergenerational wealth, race and housing. We have coop members who volunteer their time for mentoring as part of the programmes in POC in Architecture and Black Females in Architecture. We ensure each employee has a peer manager where they can discuss one to one, the needs that they may have from an EDI point of view.
2. Does the practice operate a no overtime culture, meet the living wage consistently, and stipulate a fair salary ratio between staff of all levels?
100%. We are an Oxford Living Wage Employer, since 2022, but we have always had a living wage structure. We are also a Living Wage employer with the Living Wage Foundation, at the time of writing, we are in the process of being the first architecture practice that is a Certified Living Hours (contract that reflects hours work, at least 4 weeks’ notice, guarantee payment, and minimum 16hrs/week for all who want it) with the Living Wage Foundation. We have a no overtime culture, everyone tracks their hours and they are paid that same month for any hours that have been worked over their contracted hours. We have a transparent pay policy (as far as we’re aware, the only architecture practice with one). Everyone knows how much everyone is paid, and there’s clear pay progression. We all collectively decision make the salary review every year for each band of pay.
3. Does the practice support charities, community groups, social enterprises, action groups and others through pro-bono work, charitable giving or in-kind donations?
Yes, though we recognise the tension of pro-bono work as it further embeds privilege within the profession as well as a culture of unpaid work which can drive down fees in the profession. Therefore, we are selective when we engage with pro bono work, to safeguard the health & wellbeing of employees and sustain the ongoing operation of the coop. We charitably give finances every year to various causes, prioritising black-led initiatives. We work with community-led housing groups and charitable organisations, often offering a discounted rate, and with some clients, pro bono work, to a certain stage, to enable them to receive funding.
4. Does the practice publicly refuse to work with certain clients, suppliers or organisations on ethical grounds?
Yes, for example, we only engage with private homeowners if they want to include retrofit or low carbon solutions to their homes. We do not do extensions and designs which do not have a sustainable or environmental focus. We only engage our community engagement services if we can tangibly see that the project team will take into full consideration what is said by the community and that it is not seen as a ‘tick-box’ exercise. We have turned down several clients over the years on ethical grounds. We never supply Kingspan on any of our projects, even prior to Grenfell. We only work with clients interested in working towards a low carbon and convivial society.
Project
1. Do the projects demonstrate deep engagement with local stakeholders and end users? For example, is there evidence that your project engagement goes beyond consultation towards co-design?
We are always embedding co-design within our projects that affect communities. This includes advocating for the client to include engagement at the brief-setting and early design stages, which has happened on the majority of our projects. We were shortlisted for the Pineapple Awards for the community engagement that we completed for a new community centre in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, an amazing community within the city, that unfortunately also experiences high levels of deprivation. We genuinely engaged with individuals and groups from the area, across a 14-month period, where over 1,100 individuals were involved in the co-design process of the new community centre. The engagement involved both local stakeholders, exiting users and also future end users of the site. All our housing schemes have involved community engagement with end users and the majority with the local community.
2. Do your projects create connected and resilient places which positively contribute to their neighbourhoods and allow equality of access? For example, do your projects create economic opportunity, retain value locally and generate social value?
The aforementioned Blackbird Leys Community Centre project reached this in several ways. Our engagement budget included spending over £2,500 supporting local catering, artists, musicians and hiring local venues. Over 20% of engagement involved young people and children, this involved workshops with young women and girls, youth and public engagement with young children. Over £250 was donated to the Blackbird Leys Community Larder, who supply food to individuals and households in need and support a cause which tackles food waste. The local community were actively involved in urban planning and decision making as part of the design engagement.
3. Do the majority of your projects promote equity in society, and consider all people, not only the building inhabitants? For example, do your projects show due regard for workers within the supply chain and take active steps to avoid modern slavery?
We have engaged with a study on retrofit and energy flexibility in Rose Hill Oxford (an area with high levels of deprivation). Within this we explored how the supply chain could support Oxford City Council’s 2040 net zero target. We are a living wage employer and we ensure that workers within the supply chain are paid a living wage, to so far as we are able to identify. We actively promote placemaking in our community engagement, not for those who are directly affected but also for wider communities.