News

  1. 05.03.2024

    DSDHA transforms into a recording studio for the day

    Recording a podcast for Woven Voices for Be-spoke podcast, the studio welcomed Adrianna Paice Kent

    DSDHA's hosts the recording of 'Woven Voices' a Be-Spoke podcast from Ing. Media. The studio was packed for the day and transformed for filming as Deborah Staunt and David Lockyer from British Land spoke with Adriana Paice Kent about the design and impacts of Exchange Square. 

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  2. 06.12.2023

    Exchange Square named City of London Building of the Year

    DSDHA were delighted to receive this award, given annually by The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects to celebrate the contribution architecture brings to the civic life of the City of London, and which recognises both the design quality and the environmental credentials of the winning scheme.

    Among a vast field of candidates, we were pleasantly surprised that the judges chose, unusually, to bestow the award on a public realm project this year, rather than on a building!

    Designed with inclusivity and accessibility at its heart, Exchange Square was driven by our ambition to create a vibrant space that encourages engagement and interactivity - retrofitting nature into the heart of the City.

    Pictured:

    John Czernobay, Projects Director, British Land

    Chris Williamson, Master, The Architects' Company and Chair, WW+P

    The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Nicholas Lyons

    Deborah Saunt

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  3. 12.07.2023

    Plans to transform Euston Tower unveiled

    British Land has unveiled plans to redevelop Euston Tower through an innovative combination of retention, re-use and an ultra-low carbon new structure, transforming it into pioneering, modern, net zero workspace for cutting-edge businesses of all sizes, including new world-class, lab-enabled spaces at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.

    Working alongside Danish architecture practice 3XN, DSDHA will be delivering the plans for Regents Place Plaza, transforming the area surrounding the building into a welcoming, accessible and creative new space.

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  4. 28.04.2023

    Poppy Levison nominated for 'Manifestos: Architecture for a New Generation 2023'

    We're hugely proud of DSDHA's Poppy Levison for her nomination for 'Manifestos: Architecture for a New Generation 2023' annual collaboration with the Design Museum.

    Returning for its 5th year on Saturday 24 June, the event will showcase progressive manifestos envisioning a more inclusive London, developed by four emerging voices in architecture and the built environment.

    The nominees will expand the parameters of what architecture can be, who London is for and what its future holds, forming part of the wider #LFA2023 programme.

    Tags: #LFA2023 #DesignMuseum
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  5. 18.04.2023

    DSDHA Materials Library featured in Architecture Today

    DSDHA's David Hills, Michael Breen and Anne Wynne discuss how our approach to materiality is informed by contextuality, environmental concerns, and the accumulated knowledge of previous projects in this month's regular 'Materials Library’ in Architecture Today.

    "Delivering social value is one of our primary objectives, with material selection following from this. Saying that, materials are always on our mind, and their specification often arises from in-depth studies into a project's site history and surrounding context."

    Photo by Agnese Sanvito

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  6. 17.10.2022

    We Are Hiring

    DSDHA are hiring!

    With a number of exciting new commissions across London, we're now looking to recruit Architects at all levels.

    Please submit your CV and samples of your work as well as a cover letter including your availability and salary expectations to careers@dsdha.co.uk

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  7. 22.07.2022

    Triple Award Success at the Building London Planning Awards 2022

    Great success for DSDHA at the London Planning Awards last night! Three awards: The Hickman for Great Portland Estates Plc, which picked up Best New Place to Work, and for the National Youth Theatre, which picked up Best Cultural Building AND The Mayor’s Award for Good Growth.

    Tags: #retrofit #refurb
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  8. 30.05.2022

    Tom Greenall essay published in Design Studio

    Experimental Realism is out now... including 'Plausible Impossibilities' - an essay by Tom Greenall, with Matteo Mastrandrea and Nicola Koller about ADS4 and their teaching at the Royal College of Art.

    Looking forward to adding this to the DSDHA library!
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  9. 05.05.2022

    Exchange Square receives its first award nomination

    We’ve really appreciated the glowing feedback we’ve received for Exchange Square since it opened earlier this year, from the tenants of Broadgate to local residents we’ve met walking their dogs in their new park.

    It’s great to now be receiving recognition with its first award nomination: Best Public Space at The Pineapples. This awards series is organised by The Developer and Festival of Place, and celebrates thriving public spaces which make a positive environmental and social impact on urban life.

    Tags: Exchange Square Broadgate public realm public space placemaking
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  10. 04.05.2022

    NYT wins at AJ Retrofit Awards

    Honoured to win in the Best Cultural Building Category of the AJ Retrofit Awards last night against a great shortlist. All credit to the National Youth Theatre who are an amazing client!

    '"I loved this project," one of the judges said simply. "The rationale is so strong and clear in terms of how existing places have been revitalised." Others were impressed by what had been done with the budget and the key environmental moves, including the "significant" whole-life carbon savings achieved and plans for future energy monitoring. WH '

    Photograph by Jim Stephenson
    Tags: national youth theatre NYT aj retrofit awards retrofit refurb
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  11. 02.05.2022

    Exchange Square hosts inaugural Open Iftar

    Last weekend, we got to experience the newly-opened Exchange Square at Broadgate celebrate its inaugural event: an Open Iftar, where people of all faiths could gather to break fast together at sunset.

    For millions of Muslims in the UK, the last ten nights of Ramadan are the most sacred of the holy month. It was a privilege and a pleasure to see around 250 friends, community partners and colleagues come together on Sunday to celebrate the festival.

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  12. 18.04.2022

    Deborah Saunt to discuss diversity and saving the planet on Let’s Build panel

    Excited to hear Deborah Saunt speak as a panellist for Let’s Build’s event on April 21st: Let’s Talk - Is Diversity Critical To Saving Our Planet?

    The panel will be addressing, discussing and getting to grips with the issues of diversity and the planet, within Architecture. They will discuss things like climate change; everything that makes this industry and what we need to do to make it better

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  13. 18.03.2022

    DSDHA cycling infrastructure research features in recent issue of the Landscape Institute's journal

    In the current issue of the Landscape Institute’s quarterly journal, Landscape, Deborah Saunt reflects on progress made in creating cycling infrastructure that meets the diverse requirements of all those who could enjoy it.
     
    Deborah will be expanding on the subject when she speaks at the Landscape Institute CPD Conference later this month, discussing the widely recognised need for a public realm that encourages active travel and asking: how do we implement the required infrastructure justly, in the crowded, ever-changing city of London?

    Tags: cycling infrastructure landscape institute
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  14. 08.03.2022

    International Women's Day at DSDHA

    We're celebrating International Women's Day in the studio today by raising money for Refuge, the charity who runs The Gaia Centre in Lambeth and offers support to girls and women to end gender-based violence.
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  15. 02.03.2022

    Sanket Ghatalia and Oluwaseyi Adewole talk Spatial Justice with REDD Collective

    Sanket and Seyi joined the REDD Collective yesterday for a talk about their research and work on the topic of Spatial Justice. DSDHA have been developing this work with their Design Think Tank students at LSA. For this digital talk they were joined by current student Aarandeep Sian.

    Spatial Justice explores ways in which the city can facilitate justice through space, for everyone. In acknowledging the value of people, it seeks to take measures to redress injustices by creating a fair and equitable distribution in space of socially valued resources and the opportunities to use them.

    Tags: spatial justice LSA research
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  16. 24.02.2022

    Anne Wynne shortlisted for the MJ Long Prize for Excellence in Practice

    We are proud to announce that our colleague Anne Wynne has been shortlisted for the MJ Long Prize for Excellence in Practice in the W Awards 2022 by The Architectural Review and Architects' Journal.

    Anne was nominated following her leading role as Project Architect on the National Youth Theatre, commended by AJ for its "inventive reorganisation and new public face for a youth theatre."

    Congratulations, Anne!
    Tags: MJ Long Prize W Awards architects journal
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  17. 16.12.2021

    NYT is Shortlisted in the AJ Retrofit Awards

    Our recent theatrical revamp of the National Youth Theatre has been Shortlisted in the AJ Retrofit Awards in the Cultural and Religious Buildings category!

    Our retrofit approach allowed spatial reconfiguration of the existing building to meet their ever-changing needs, and material and service upgrades prolonged the life of the historic building. Through a small extension to the front, we were able to improve and enhance the existing building's functionality and long term use by providing additional spaces that could not be accommodated within the existing building.

    Despite the new extension pavilion, the character and integrity of the existing facade has not been lost, with the brick and original window openings retained internally to connect spaces and bring light deeper into the existing building. Decided through the co-design process, much of the original fabric has been retained and left exposed to celebrate the history and character of their home.

    "The epic and accessible redevelopment enables us to double the number of opportunities we deliver with our talented freelance associate artists and young people in the building and further expand our work around the UK and beyond." The National Youth Theatre
    Tags: national youth theatre youth theatre performing arts retrofit refurb reuse architects journal aj retrofit awards awards Holloway Road
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  18. 03.12.2021

    Tom Greenall and Jane Wong win funding from the RIBA Research Fund

    Director Tom Greenall and Jane Wong have won funding from the RIBA Research Fund for their research 'Towards Spatial Justice: A guide for achieving meaningful participation in co-design processes'. They were one of five research projects chosen to be supported by the Fund this year.

    Their research posits co-design both as a powerful design tool to address intersectional issues of the built environment, and as an irreplaceable civic process in its generation, exchange and application of collective knowledge. It seeks to assess existing forms of 'community engagement', identify current challenges that hinder meaningful collaborative design process, and speculate ways for co-design to be integrated into design processes at different scales.
    Tags: RIBA Research Fund research funding spatial justice co-design community engagement participation collaborative design design process
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  19. 23.11.2021

    Deborah joins panel to discuss Planning for Beauty

    Founding Director Deborah Saunt joined Montagu Evans' Chris Miele and Town Legal LLP's Simon Ricketts to discuss Planning for Beauty and what the 'beauty-agenda' really means for planning. 

    After the 'Building Better, Building Beautiful' commission published their 'Living with Beauty' report in January 2020 changed the national policy 'Good Design' with 'Beauty', the panel discussed whether there is more to beauty than aesthetics and what it means for design and planning.

    Tags: planning beauty agenda Montagu Evans Town Legal building better
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  20. 05.11.2021

    DSDHA at COP26

    Director Tom Greenall, attended COP26 in Glasgow with students from RCA Studio 4. They attended a series of interesting events, talks and exhibitions over the few days.

    COP26 aimed to unite the world in order to tackle the climate crisis.

    A few highlights included visiting the New York Times Climate Hub by ES Devlin, attending 'The Power of Knowledge: Girls' Education as an Accelerator of Climate Action' talk with a brilliant panel of women focusing on climate action. They also visited the COP House by Roderick James Architects and the 'Assembling our Future' Exhibition by Superflux Studio as well as the 'Grace of the Sun' solar-powered installation by Robert Montgomery.
    Tags: COP26 sustainability exhibition Glasgow event RCA climate action
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  21. 04.10.2021

    The Hickman achieves Platinum SmartScore rating by WiredScore

    Our recently completed creative reuse and retrofit office development in Whitechapel, The Hickman, has achieved the world's first SmartScore 'Platinum' rating by WiredScore.

    SmartScore identifies the best smart buildings, designed to deliver exceptional user experience, meet high standards of sustainability, drive cost efficiency and are future-proof.

    At the Hickman, Greate Portland Estates plc (GPE)'s award-winning smart workplace app allows users to make more of every day. The app functionality enables users to book desks, check the building's air quality and access up-to-date travel information, before they leave their house. Once at their desk, they can control lighting and temperature to improve their working environments.

    Using a digital twin of the building and occupancy sensors, the data allows GPE to work with occupiers to optimise building use, reduce operational energy and meet ambitious sustainability targets.
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  22. 14.09.2021

    Exchange Square model featured at RA Summer Exhibition

    Our cast metal prototype for Exchange Square is on display at the RA Summer Exhibition. The theme 'Reclaiming Magic' was chosen by this year's exhibition coordinator Yinka Shonibare and a panel of artists. The exhibition is held each year to celebrate contemporary art and architecture.

    We feature amongst 1,300 works including paintings, films, photography, drawings, sculptures and architectural models and can be found in the Architecture Room curated by David Adjaye RA.

    The Exhibition is open until 2 January 2022.
    Tags: RA Summer Royal Academy of Arts RA exhibition art exhibition
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  23. 06.09.2021

    Open House London: See the National Youth Theatre

    Monday 6 September – Saturday 11 September 2021

    Architect tours on Friday 10 September and Saturday 11 September

    Come and visit the National Youth Theatre on Holloway Road for this year’s edition of the Open House London festival. The project, collaboratively designed with NYT’s members, doubled the building’s capacity for studio space and features a new pavilion which replaces an old car park and increases its visibility and accessibility on Holloway Road.

    For those who cannot come and see the building in person, we have teamed up with Open City and photographer Jim Stephenson to create this short documentary about the NYT.

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  24. 30.07.2021

    Anthony Richardson completes BREEAM and WELL accreditation training

    As part of DSDHA's commitment to design sustainable buildings with people and wellbeing at the core, Anthony has recently completed training as an Accredited Professional for BREEAM and WELL assessment methods. His shared training and knowledge will provide greater in-house guidance towards achieving the best sustainable outcomes for all of our projects at DSDHA.
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  25. 19.07.2021

    National Museums Liverpool: An installation of the people, for the people, by the people

    Following our shortlisting for Liverpool’s public realm competition for its waterfront, our team were invited to set up an installation in Canning Dock from Friday 16 July – Sunday 18 July. We spent the weeks leading up to the event visiting places around the city of Liverpool, speaking to residents about their perceptions of the city’s past and aspirations for its future. The result exhibited key statements on Canning Dock, sparking new connections and conversations to act as a catalyst in shaping the future of the dockyard. 

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  26. 08.07.2021

    DSDHA contributes to new publication: On the value of placemaking for travel

    As practitioners working across architecture, urban design, landscape and research, we have been invited by the Independent Transport Commission to share knowledge gathered at DSDHA in a chapter for Bristol University Press’ new publication ‘Why Travel? Understanding our need to move and how it shapes our lives’. The book approaches the topic of travel through a multidisciplinary lens with a focus on how new technologies and sustainability considerations influence movement. 

    For their chapter, Deborah and Tom have chosen to draw on our experience to examine the need for travel in the context of cities and the role of good quality public space in creating destinations that people enjoy. Among other projects, they reference the 2016 Built Environment Research Fellowship which examined a human centred methodology for the design of places. 

    Deborah and Tom presented their chapter at Bristol University Press’ book launch on Thursday 8 July. Find out more about the book or watch a recording of the book launch here.
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  27. Credit: Kareem Elshehawy
    25.06.2021

    London Festival of Architecture 2021: Exploring sustainability with students from the University of Westminster

    Credit: Kareem Elshehawy
    DSDHA Associate Aga Szedzianis has been mentoring students from the University of Westminster in raising awareness about sustainable design as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2021. In collaboration with St John the Divine Primary School in Kennington, the students designed interactive playground installations to demonstrate their knowledge about a diverse range of sustainability issues and concepts.

    Image credit: Kareem Elshehawy
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  28. 21.06.2021

    NLA New London Weekly: Deborah Saunt in conversation with David Taylor

    David Taylor interviewed Deborah Saunt for New London Architecture's recent newsletter edition of the New London Weekly in June. They discussed DSDHA's work at the recently completed National Youth Theatre in north London, Deborah's role as a founding Director of the London School of Architecture and how organisations need to network to be more inclusive. 

    The article can be found on NLA's website.
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  29. 09.06.2021

    National Museums Liverpool: DSDHA shortlisted for Waterfront Transformation

    We have been shortlisted for National Museum Liverpool’s placemaking competition for the reimagination of Canning Dock and its surrounding areas. Our team comprises Hood Design Studio (USA); Benedetti Architects; Speirs Major; Stantec; Resolve; Neal Shasore; Turley; Gardiner & Theobald. As one of six teams on the shortlist, we are looking to examine local perceptions of the site’s past and aspiration for its future as part of our proposal.
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  30. 01.06.2021

    Martin Pearson and Tom Greenall promoted to Directors

    Congratulations to Martin Pearson and Tom Greenall who have been promoted to Directors.

    Martin joined DSDHA in 2003 and has led client brief development, design evolution and construction of a number of important projects within the studio, including the Stirling Prize nominated Christ’s College Secondary School in Guildford. He has also worked on a range of schemes in Westminster including the restoration of the Smithsons’ Economist Plaza, Abell & Cleland House, 28 South Molton Street, and 68-70 Wardour Street. He is a member of Islington’s Design Review Panel and has previously sat on both the Southwark and Yorkshire and Humber Regional Design Review Panels.

    Having joined in 2005, Tom has been involved in projects across various scales and sectors, from landscape designs for the Royal Albert Hall and improvements to Broadgate Public Realm to the masterplanning of Loughborough Junction, and from residential and commercial schemes such as Corner House or 125 Shaftesbury Avenue in central London through to education projects in Sheffield and Doncaster. Tom leads a design studio at the Royal College of Art and is currently a Chair of Wandsworth Design Review Panel.
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  31. 21.05.2021

    Estefany Oropeza joins LFA Symposium 2021 on ‘Community Care’

    This year’s LFA Symposium invited guests for a critical debate about the responsibility of architects and architecture to create caring environments. Estefany Oropeza, DSDHA Architectural Assistant and founder of REDD, a design collective working on issues of spatial and social justice at the London School of Architecture, was invited to join one of their panels to speak about new models of spatial equity and community care.
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  32. 15.12.2020

    Exchange Square starts on site

    DSDHA's major new public park Exchange Square has started on site at Broadgate for our client British Land.

    Suspended above the live railway tracks of Liverpool Street Station, the 1.5 acre park will offer a four-fold increase in the amount of greenery, dramatically enhancing biodiversity and improving local ecology. 

    A technically challenging construction on a restricted urban site, the 15 month-long build will deliver a new park for the City of London.

    Exchange Square is the culmination of DSDHA’s Broadgate public realm framework, and offers an unfolding meandering landscape across several levels, with opportunities for rest and reflection, aiming to encourage diverse audiences to enjoy this public amenity. Bringing nature and wellbeing to the fore, in balance with technology, Exchange Square is an informal open-air space in which to meet, celebrate, work and relax surrounded by greenery. 

    Tags: Exchange Square Broadgate City of London park landscape urban design British Land
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  33. 30.11.2020

    David Hills appointed as High Streets Task Force Expert

    David Hills has been appointed by the High Streets Task Force to aid communities and local government transform their high streets. 

    As a Task Force ‘Expert’, David's appointment will help high streets evolve and respond to the impact of COVID-19.

    The High Streets Task Force is an alliance of placemaking experts that provides encouragement, tools and skills to help communities and local government transform their high streets. It is now providing support to local leaders in town centres and high streets in England. 

    High Streets Task Force Experts advise on a range of issues, including planning, urban design, placemaking, landscape architecture, resilience, transport, valuation, asset management, investment, governance, data and analytics, place management and leadership.

    Once assigned, Experts also to help to prescribe Task Force support that best meets the needs of the places that they visit and advise, helping to tackle a range of issues that could be blocking the potential of the local high streets.

    Tags: David Hills High Street Task Force Expert Covid-19 placemaking town centres high streets planning urban design communities local government
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  34. 06.11.2020

    Deborah Saunt's Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor lecture at Yale School of Architecture

    Deborah Saunt will deliver a lecture as the Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor of Architectural Design at Yale University on Monday 9 November at 1pm(EST)/6pm(GMT) entitled "What next for the city?".

    The online lecture is open to all, with registration via the Yale School of Architecture website.
    Tags: Deborah Saunt lecture Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor Yale School of Architecture Yale University Research
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  35. 04.11.2020

    Delivering Social Value Award win for Central Somers Town

    We are thrilled to win this year's Delivering Social Value Award at the Building Awards 2020 for our public realm-led masterplan for Central Somers Town for Camden Council.

    The award is a recognition of the work that we, Camden, our collaborators and the people of Somers Town have done to ensure that the neighbourhood delivers positive and meaningful change for everyone who lives, learns and plays there.

    The Delivering Social Value prize follows previous recognition for Central Somers Town with wins at the London Planning Awards as well as the NLA Awards and the National Urban Design Awards. 

    The virtual award ceremony is available online on the Building website.  
    Tags: Central Somers Town Social Value Award Building Awards Camden masterplan
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  36. 19.10.2020

    Sharing the Road Trip Symposium

    We would like to thank everyone who presented, debated and interrogated during the Yale School of Architecture Road Trip Symposium in September as part of the DSDHA-led Advanced Design Studio, 'What About Learning?'.   

    The presentations by our guest speakers are now available online:

    Pedagogy

    Activism

    Art & Community
    Tags: Yale School of Architecture Yale University Road Trip Symposium Pedagogy Activism Art & Community teaching research Roberta Marcaccio Sam Jacob Alicia Pivaro Mel Dodd Beatrice Galilee Lesley Lokko RESOLVE Joel de Mowbray Leroy Street Studio
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  37. 16.09.2020

    Join us for What About Learning?: The Road Trip Symposium

    The Yale School of Architecture Advanced Design Studio, What About Learning?, led by DSDHA will hold its Road Trip Symposium on 22, 25 & 26 September.  

    The three sessions on alternative models of learning will welcome a wide-ranging panel of international speakers to share diverse thoughts on dispersed knowledge sharing as a spatial practice in the expanded field. 

    Speakers include Nelly Ben Hayoun, Mel Dodd, Beatrice Galilee, Sam Jacob, Lesley Lokko, Leroy Street Studio, Roberta Marcaccio, Joel de Mowbray, Alicia Pivaro, RESOLVE, and Neal Shasore. 

    The sessions will be structured around the themes of pedagogy, activism and art & community within the built environment, with brilliant contributions from educators, practitioners and provocateurs working in varied contexts. 

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  38. 24.08.2020

    Sharing knowledge so we can build back better

    Over the past few months, we have been sharing our reflections on the social impact that Covid-19 is having on our lives and cities - and how we can work together with our communities to ensure we return stronger and more caring than before. We have been freely giving our time to work with diverse groups for the public good.     

    Many of the workshops, seminars and talks are now available online.

    In May, Deborah spoke to Peter Murray, Chairman of the NLA, on the insights that social distancing has given us on our urban realm, the research to be done, and how the results might make lasting positive change in our cities. The video is available on the NLA website.

    Later that month, Deborah joined the panel for a City Property Association webinar to discuss Greening the City, looking at what the City of London may look like in future and how the fabric of the City could be transformed in response to climate change and public health concerns. The video is available on the CPA website.  

    We also discussed "Transforming streets and spaces: safe, pleasant and practical schemes" as part of the Green Transport Recovery's webinar series, promoting active travel and sustainable modes to help us all through the recovery after the pandemic. The video is available on the organisation's YouTube channel.  

    Throughout May and June, we joined the series of events run by Urban Design London entitled 'Managing Streets During Lockdown', not only assessing short-term measures but also finding solutions for lasting positive change to make our streets safer, more welcoming and more resilient. Building on our work Sharing the Beautiful Everyday Journey, we looked at the location, extent and design of new cycling infrastructure to help prevent a car-dominated recovery. These videos are available on the UDL website: Managing Streets during Lockdown: Design Options and Managing Streets during Lockdown: New Space for Cycling.    

    This led to Mike O'Hanlon and Seyi Adewole delivering a workshop for the Urban Design Summer School on some of the techniques that we use in our research-led approach, spanning both virtual and physical approaches to mapping local neighbourhoods. Armed with these new tools, students were encouraged to research their respective communities, to understand what is going on and begin to see what changes might be needed. This video is available here


    Tags: Research Covid-19 communities NLA social distancing urban realm spatial strategists greening sustainability City Property Association streets neighbourhoods active travel Urban Design London cycling workshop seminar video
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  39. 13.08.2020

    Deborah Saunt appointed as Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor of Architectural Design at Yale University

    In Autumn 2020, DSDHA's Deborah will take up the position of Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor of Architectural Design at the Yale School of Architecture, following in the footsteps of Denise Scott Brown, Zaha Hadid, Toshiko Mori and Yolande Daniels.

    This semester's Advanced Design Studio will ask 'What About Learning?', questioning the right to knowledge and participation in civic life, and architecture's role in shaping education and urban engagement.  

    Reflecting on post-COVID impacts, the Studio will explore the condition of dispersed learning and will look beyond just bricks and mortar to apply spatial intelligence to the analysis of wider environmental, political and socio-economic relationships in learning and their different manifestations in urban and virtual environments. DSDHA's Jane Wong will be also supporting the Studio's research. 

    The Yale Studio complements DSDHA’s ongoing research into contemporary emerging behaviours, and also relates specifically to our work for the British Library and the role of pubic space and access to knowledge, both inside the building itself and beyond its formal boundaries.  
    Tags: Deborah Saunt Visiting Professor Yale University Yale School of Architecture Eero Saarinen learning education spatial intelligence British Library behaviours participation knowledge
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  40. 06.08.2020

    Want to be a City-Maker?

    Are you ready to engage, change, and improve your community?

    Do you want to win prizes, learn new design skills and get the Citizenship Award? 

    In partnership with Lambeth and HeadstartED, DSDHA have established the “Many Different Voices” project - a 3-in-1 online teamwork, training and competition project, to give school students a chance to be part of the real-life redesign of Lambeth roads.

    This exciting project will see school students work on an online project to design improvements to street space in Railton Road, one of Lambeth's new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

    Students aged 13-16 will use Minecraft to enter a design competition, with the chosen ideas becoming a reality on Brixton streets.

    The project begins on Thursday 13 August with an online workshop.

    Interested students should register at HeadstartEDhub.com using their school email address. 

    DSDHA helped set the design principles for judging the competition entries and will run online Q&A sessions and workshops for the project.

    The Many Different Voices project is being run by the studio's Spatial Intelligence Group, who are currently working on responses to Covid-19 within our urban environment. 

    Further information on the Many Different Voices project is available at https://rtstreets.commonplace.is/schemes/proposals/many-different-voices/details.

    Tags: Lambeth HeadstartED Many Different Voices Railton Road Low Traffic Neighburhoods competition students Minecraft Brixton SIG Spatial Intelligence Group urban design public space
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  41. 03.06.2020

    Presenting the Business of Research at RMIT Australia

    On Friday 5 June, Deborah will be the keynote speaker for RMIT’s Practice Research Symposium in Asia and Australia.  

    The PRS symposium sees researchers, supervisors and visiting examiners gather to undertake the presentation, review and collective development of practice knowledge and ways of knowing. 

    This year will see the combination of PRS Australia and Asia for the first time online. 

    Deborah will explore how spatial intelligence, combined with research, must now play a critical role in helping redefine architectural practice going forward. 

    She will present the various ways in which research is being actively deployed in practice to respond to current and future needs, based on findings presented in her recent guest edit of ‘Architectural Design (AD): The Business of Research: Knowledge and Learning Redefined in Architectural Research’, co-edited with DSDHA colleagues Tom Greenall and Roberta Marcaccio. The magazine is available to purchase here

    Her talk will be streamed online at 9.00 (BST)/18.00 (AEST) and can be watched via https://practice-research.com/symposia/prs-australia-june-2020/keynote-address  
    Tags: Research Practice AD LSA RMIT Academia
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  42. 27.04.2020

    Reflections during lockdown

    As lives across the world undergo radical change in response to COVID-19, DSDHA are reflecting on what inspires us and our hopes for the future.

    We will be sharing our thoughts with our collaborators on various platforms over the weeks to come. 

    On Wednesday 27 April from 9pm, Deborah reads from Stewart Brand’s The Clock of the Long Now for The Architecture Foundation's 100 Day Studio Bedtime Stories. It is a book for all time that reminds us that civilisations are built over long periods of time and based on past decisions taken with a long view towards the future; so in effect our lives play out in a world that runs at many different paces (as illustrated above). Following broadcast on the Foundation's Instagram Live, it is now available on YouTube

    In May, Deborah is speaking to Peter Murray, Chairman of the NLA, on the insights that social distancing has given us on our urban realm, the research to be done, and how the results might make lasting positive change in our cities. The video is now available online on the NLA website.

    On Tuesday 16 June, DSDHA will join with our collaborators on projects in Central Somers Town and the Tustin Estate to discuss a collective approach to architecture and what we can achieve by working together and with communities. Join us via Zoom as part of The Architecture Foundation's 100 Day Studio (details available on the Foundation's website in June).

    Tags: Central Somers Town
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  43. 22.01.2020

    DSDHA’s radical redevelopment for the National Youth Theatre is granted planning approval

    The National Youth Theatre is a vital part of Great Britain’s cultural infrastructure, boasting alumni of the likes of Daniel Craig, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rosamund Pike, and our renovation will enable it to hugely increase its capacity to provide free and affordable opportunities through its award-winning social inclusion programmes that champion diversity and creativity.

    A new pavilion in distinctive green glazed brick will provide a fully accessible entrance and welcoming front door from Holloway Road into the remodelled headquarters, where a new 200-seat studio ‘workshop’ theatre and new rehearsal and co-working spaces will allow them to double the number of young people coming into the building. Futures plans for a new Pocket Park, working in collaboration with the London Borough of Islington and the GLA, will bring much needed local and environmental benefits.

    The project has received the largest funding grant of £2M from the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund and building work for the £4.45M redevelopment will commence in May, with the opening planned for Summer 2021.

    Tags: planning community education National Youth Theatre NYT Islington
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  44. 03.09.2018

    We Are Hiring

    DSDHA are hiring!

    With a number of exciting new commissions across London, we're now looking to recruit Architects at all levels.

    Please submit your CV and samples of your work as well as a cover letter including your availability and salary expectations to careers@dsdha.co.uk

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