Submission by Collective Works.
Being a good ancestor
Practice
1. Do you have a clearly stated purpose aligned with the planetary emergency? We’re looking for a bold ambition here, and a culture which recognises the need for long-term thinking.
This year we revisited our mission and through discussion arrived at “Building with Care”.
This encompasses philosophy and an architecture of care. It informs our approach: to the team, client, users of buildings, their communities, and at the largest scale, planetary boundaries.
This is a work in progress, and our attention moves the conversation on: Alasdair co-wrote the RIBA Ethical Practice Guide and is on the RIBA Standards Committee, setting our duties of care. Siri is a WELL AP, an ambassador for healthy buildings that care, Khuzema is a Design Council Expert, and specialist in building safety, showing care through technical resolution.
This year we have revisited our 2020 sustainability roadmap, committed to offset all six years of emissions, and budgeted to ensure carbon neutrality every year going forward. The next frontier is caring more about the emissions we prevent through our projects.
2. Do you have a clearly stated purpose aligned with the planetary emergency? We’re looking for a bold ambition here, and a culture which recognises the need for long-term thinking.
While no longer a ‘young’ practice, our studio is very much a live concern with no immediate plans for succession. For us the idea of building a business with the intention to exit is fundamentally not regenerative.
We have spent some time looking into alternative structures to enable equity sharing but at present we are focussed on meeting our newly adopted mission for the good of the practice and those impacted by it. One initiative is our support of the next generation of architectural practitioners through their education and their work/life balance – of our small team, four have qualified while working with us.
As we evolve, the practice will shift to suit the collective.
3. Do you share research and knowledge for the benefit of society and the wider world?
Beyond our practice we call for collective action and knowledge sharing.
That means regularly engaging with a number of cross industry initiatives like Business for Health, Architects Declare, and Architecture Sans Frontières UK alongside informal mentoring and support groups.
Alasdair is also on the RIBA Standards Committee, and participates in education to deepen our knowledge and share practice learnings. This year that included developing the RIBA Ethical Practice Mandatory Competence, which will be trialled in Autumn 2026 on RIBA Academy.
Additionally at the University of the Built Environment we’re developing a six week course exploring Ethical Practice with contributions from 10 experts across 5 professions.
We engage regularly with the ARB and submitted responses to recent consultations on five Guidance notes. We have delivered CPD for such as Avanti Architects, Morris and Company, Grimshaw, and Studio Bark.
Project
1. Do you advocate for long-term thinking at the outset of work? Do you initiate work with long-term thinking and challenge clients? Also, can the organisation demonstrate that this approach has worked?
At the early stages of any project we challenge the brief against a more regenerative approach. The majority of our work is with existing buildings. Extending their life through retrofit, and choosing appropriate low carbon, durable materials is often our strategy. We routinely challenge the need for demolition, as well as the suggested design life and advocate low carbon options wherever possible.
Our retrofit work also considers a building’s use. We look at lifelong requirements, including accessibility for elderly and disabled people and durability of finishes for style and use.
Siri recently went on a research trip to Japan exploring housing provision that positively includes older people in society – in the face of changing demographics. This learning is embedded in our Forever Flat project – retrofitting a listed flat as an accessible and future-proofed home, for later living – and kickstarts our research into intergenerational / community focussed housing for older people.
2. Does your work take account of the future climate and the need for resilience?
Designing regeneratively means both limiting our impact now and designing buildings which will remain fit for purpose long into the future.
We recently collaborated with Webb Yates engineers on a difficult domestic project. While there were some positives about the existing house, its poorly performing fabric and cramped layout meant it was at the end of its effective life. Rather than decide impulsively we spent 8 weeks Whole Life Carbon modelling three possible futures to eventually arrive at the best long term solution. This was to demolish the existing building and build a highly insulated, low energy, low carbon timber home instead. That home will work with the climate rather than against it for ours and future generations.
3. Does the majority of your work go beyond mitigating negatives and towards optimising positives?
This year we revisited our practice carbon footprint. Although we halved our carbon emissions by revenue, we recognise that our largest impact is via Scope 4 emissions – those which are avoided through our advice, education and design actions.
We recognise the challenges of a diminishing carbon budget and advocate to reduce demolition and prioritise low carbon construction in our work.
Biophilia and the reintroduction of nature are prominent themes in our non residential work, bringing biodiversity back to brownfield sites. We currently have two wellbeing schemes on the drawing board that aim to deliver wellbeing facilities for locals and visitors as well as bringing economic benefits to their rural communities. Our proposal for the LFA Pavilion focussed on connecting people to each other and the food cycle through urban growing.
Some of these projects are still in development, but we are excited to put our learning and research into practice.
Co-evolving with nature
Practice
1. Do you use biophilia within your premises and/or do you regularly gather in natural settings?
Our fifth floor studio in a net zero office retrofit provides us with amazing views of the sky and its ever changing cloudscape, and connects us daily to the weather and nature. We have several plants in the office that we jointly look after as well as a thriving cuttings exchange. Our furnishings – like the materials we design with – tend towards reused items and natural materials.
On our weekly all staff office day we commit to lunching together – normally in a local park – spending the time discussing broader issues around our work. We are big fans of walking meetings and gathering on site. We find decision making outside generally smoother and often more optimistic.
We were inspired by Siri’s recent study trip to Japan where she was taken Bamboo shoot gathering in the forest – reminding us to look to nature for our nutrition and inspiration!
2. Can you share examples of where you have considered nature in decision making?
Since 2020 we’ve been working with Climate Essentials to help us map Collective Works’ emissions. We looked at scope 1, 2 and 3, and our 2020 baseline figure came out at 9.149TCO2e. Thanks to our green energy supplier, minimal overseas travel and remote work policies this means one of the lowest carbon footprints you can expect for a business our size.
We’ve now made a leadership commitment to offset all six years of our emissions, and budget an annual contribution to ensure we are carbon neutral every year.
With advice from Earthly we’ve decided to invest in the world’s largest blue carbon project, Mangrove Restoration of the Indus Delta, Pakistan. Mangroves sequester carbon significantly faster and more densely than most other ecosystems, and the co-benefits are exceptional: coastal protection, biodiversity restoration, and direct support for local fishing communities.
3. Are you supporting nature locally and nationally?
At a national and professional level, we raised awareness around the Rights of Nature and Law of Ecocide, through the Ethical Practice Guide, which Alasdair co authored.
We support organisations who are improving access to nature and the outdoors through our projects and probono work.
We conducted community consultation leading to successful planning consent for OmVed Gardens – now a well-used community gardens
At Wellington Way Health Centre in East London we opened up a semi-private garden for social prescribing uses such as yoga, meditation and gardening. We have since returned to participate in workshops and gardening groups.
We have created three outdoor classrooms for schools and nurseries in London and supported the development of Parkland Walk Playtrail. These simple projects create accessible, inclusive learning environments outdoors.
A recent pavilion design proposed a community food growing hub in the City of London – reconnecting residents with food and the growing cycle.
Project
1. Can you demonstrate work that strives to match the performance of a mature ecosystem?
Whilst we can’t be confident any of our projects have reached the performance of a mature ecosystem, we have one on the drawing board; Bionic Plants, a research project for an eco-entrepreneur will offer modular biobased homes, arranged around wild ponds within a forest setting. These adaptable dwellings will expand or contract based on need and are suitable for diverse uses — from permanent family homes to retreats and glamping sites. Built for sustainability and conscious living, the homes offer a holistic, community-minded alternative to conventional housing. We’ve been researching 15 biogenic materials and renewables that will be integral to the scheme, and are now supporting our client as she looks for second round funding to realise her ambitious vision
2. Are you working on material stewardship?
Recently we collaborated with U-Build and Consult by FD, to create bespoke plywood furniture for music, storage, dining, and display. This team effort delivered cost-effective, low-carbon, low-waste furniture for self-assembly. The final product was elegant but effective, with curved frames, rounded corners, and a pale organic woodstain.
We have a 13 year relationship with The Remakery: a co-operative workshop and coworking space in South London developing opportunities around the reuse of surplus materials. In the most recent phase of works – to retrofit the space for comfort and efficiency, the performance of available reused materials as insulation material was explored with the users.
‘The Quiet Room’, at a north London hospital, proposes an acoustic product made from eelgrass, a CO₂ binding material alongside cork, timber and low VOC paints to create a calm environment for respite from the stresses of the critical care unit.
3. Does the majority of your work demonstrate the use of biologically-inspired approaches such as Bioregionalism, Biophilia or Biomimicry?
The link between wellbeing and nature is well documented. We take inspiration from nature in creating places where people can relax, concentrate, and feel better.
Biophilia in our buildings creates rich, sensory interiors that people respond to – naturally. We’ve proposed rammed earth walls created from earth on site, and locally grown hemp panels. The tactile appeal of wood, subtle imperfections in ceramics and natural stone, and natural patterns and colour schemes can evoke personal memories and bring life to spaces, subtly improving wellbeing for all. We use windows onto green areas to frame views and bring biophilia inside.
Within our healthcare work, where we can’t be confident about the suitability of living plants, we use biophilia to make a positive connection back to nature. Bespoke photography, or plantbased colour and pattern create a sense of calm and a connection to nature.
Creating a just space for people
Practice
1. Do you have a progressive EDI policy and can you evidence many forms of diversity, which are welcomed and acknowledged, within your company/organisation?
Our practice is female and global majority led. We are 50% female, 25% global majority and 25% neurodivergent.The more closely we and our consultant teams reflect the society we wish to serve, the more effectively we’ll be able to work with a broad range of clients and stakeholders.
Xanthe, part 3 architect says “diverse minds will inevitably come up with diverse and better explored solutions. I have talked about my dyslexia and general neurodivergent-ness and have been met with support and recognition. We have genuine interest and care for each other’s differences.”
Our practice structure allows us to fulfill our non-working roles as carers. 60% of us have children under 18 and we are open and encouraging of adopting adjustments around personal circumstances and preferred working methods.
We participate in the Paradigm network and mentoring networks for women in architecture. We speak up regularly on inequity, supporting industry initiatives.
2. Do you operate a no overtime culture, meet the living wage consistently, and stipulate a fair salary ratio between staff of all levels?
We have championed a zero-overtime culture since our inception. Our team were predominantly contractors when we set up, and this helped us build a culture where each hour is paid, and overtime discouraged.
Our team has flexibility as standard, with remote working the norm. This meant one of our team members was able to move back to their home country and has been able to work remotely ever since.
The team enjoy the flexibility this culture enables and regularly adapt work around childcare, parental care, education, and advocacy.
We have regular weekly office days, which have brought us together more, resulting in better collaboration, with more informal learning and social opportunities, while still allowing flexibility. This open dialogue continues to influence our working patterns.
We operate internal transparency on salaries and the largest differential is around 3:1.
3. Do you support charities, community groups, social enterprises, action groups and others through pro-bono work, charitable giving or in-kind donations?
Since our inception we have carried out annual pro bono or reduced fee projects for community groups, CIC’s, charities and arts organisations including:
Retrofit works for Magdalen Hall Tenants Residents Association, Finchley Rugby Football Club and Eltham Oaks Sports Centre;
Designing and assisting with the building of a Temporary Theatre for the Old Vic Community Company.
Designing and assisting with the building of a temporary Pavilion, made entirely from construction waste for We Are Waterloo during the London Festival of Architecture.
Designing a bespoke Quiet room with natural materials for North Middlesex Hospital Critical Care Ward.
A 13 year relationship supporting The Remakery in Brixton, growing their ecologically minded community for good.
We are also either in kind or financial supporters of Business for Health, Architects Declare, Architecture Sans Frontiers UK, the Remakery, NHS charities and the Conduit Health Forum.
4. Do you use an ethical framework to assess opportunities and/or supply chain partners and is them team consulted on these decisions?
We’ve developed our own framework for ethical review that allows us to consider contentious projects systematically, considering alignment with our values, our need for experience, our target sectors, and cashflow. It moves beyond a binary yes/no and gives individuals the chance to veto a new project entirely on moral grounds.
We use this to review new projects and jointly agreed about and refused a project for ethical reasons last year. We discussed this with those involved, and shared the news within our team.
We’ve also shared this framework with many other practices in London as well as through our ethics lectures and CPD delivered to over 400 Part 3 students this year alone.
Lastly, we have two other forums for ethical discussion – fortnightly design reviews and our annual appraisals where we ask everyone whether they feel a sense of alignment, and connection to our mission – building with care.
Project
1. Does your work demonstrate deep engagement with local stakeholders and end users?
That our work has a social impact beyond the red line has always been imperative to us. Where local communities are active in codesign, buildings will be more resilient.
From engagement with staff, users and local charities, we have shaped social prescribing hubs. Our work with The Remakery supports their growing cooperative in their mission to provide space for the community to work with surplus materials. Early stage engagement with Finchley Rugby Club is allowing them to make plans for their physical spaces that will support their own vision for inclusive and futureproofed sports facilities.
Our ongoing relationship with CIC OCO Connect supports their investment in the development and revitalisation of community spaces across London, ensuring they remain accessible, welcoming, and fit for purpose.
Without deep engagement with these communities, these spaces would not fulfil their social contract to act as vital hubs for local engagement, learning, and social cohesion.
2. Does your work create connected and resilient communities which positively contribute to neighbourhoods and allow equality of access?
We understand the challenges and aspirations of both third sector and public sector organisations and have enjoyed collaborating with a range of charities, community interest companies, education providers, trusts, advocacy groups and NHS service providers to deliver projects that engage, comfort, and empower.
Social prescribing offers a way for health professionals to refer people to groups and services offering practical and emotional support. We have been involved in three social prescribing pilot projects and at Victoria Central Hospital in Liverpool, the Flourish wellbeing hub brings together many different support services under one roof.
Most recently, we have been working with a community centre in the St Saviours Estate, improving accessibility for all, and confirming its place at the heart of this long standing community.
Our public and third sector projects put in the infrastructure to bring people together in safe and equitable places, allowing strong communities to form, and thrive.
3. Does the majority of your work promote equity in society, and consider all people, not only building inhabitants
Yes, we’re conscious of the sectors we work in, and prioritise publicly accessible, socially engaged work, alongside our work for homeowners.
By seeking out value-aligned clients, and by actively discussing the ethical dimensions of our work, we remain committed to creating positive impact within wider society.
We advocate for the creation of social value, and the elimination of modern slavery across all our projects.
Whatever the project, we aim to fulfil our roles of architects – in creating places that are safe, just and joyful.