International Women’s Day
8th March marked International Women’s Day and we took a moment to reflect on and celebrate the impact that women have made within the co-op and our approach towards being an inclusive workplace. A couple of images from our reflection are shown below and can be found on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Makespace Common Pot
On Thursday 12th April, Wongani went to Makespace Oxford’s latest space in central Oxford (9 Park End Street) to join in their monthly ‘Common Pot’, which is an opportunity to get to know fellow Makespacers while preparing and eating soup. It is currently open to Makespace residents and the format is:
- 12-1 (chop + prep)
- 1-1.30 (eat)
- 1.30-2pm (clean)
We had a vegan Red Noodle Soup and it was great to connect with fellow architects Sow Space, Landscape Architect, Edit, and other residents and team members from Makespace Oxfordshire.
Bowden Pillars Future – New Project Website
Together with Incremental, we have been working with the Bowden Pillars Future group in co-desiging and developing their 123-acre site, just outside of Totnes, into a regenerative village. Working with the land, we will create a village that supports genuinely low-carbon living, a new nature reserve that helps store carbon and restore ecosystems, and a regenerative farm. The village will include a mixture of homes, common house, shared spaces and spaces to interact and engage with the land.
Bowden Pillars have now launched a new website, where you can read all about the project, find out how you can support the project and read about the design process. We’d encourage you to have a look. If you’re interested in staying close to the project, you can also subscribe to their newsletter.
🚨 Calling all women tradespeople in Oxford & Oxfordshire!
As part of our ongoing community retrofit research project in Oxford, we’re focusing on mapping the skills of female construction workers and tradespeople experienced in retrofit measures, from draught-proofing and plastering to full retrofits.
You can find more details about the project here.
We are building a local resource inspired by Task Her to connect female residents who prefer working with women in the trades. If you know any skilled female tradesperson in Oxfordshire who would like to be included in our directory, please feel free to get in touch with us!
Rooted in Place: Community Solutions for Housing & Climate Justice
🍊 It’s the Marmalade Festival 2026!
Join us for an interactive workshop where we will explore community-led solutions for housing and climate justice. 🌍✨
💡 Wednesday 22nd April – @Old Fire Station, Oxford OX1 2AQ, 7:30-9:30pm
Based on our research into wealth, race, and housing, as well as the community retrofit action plan co-developed with residents of OX4, we aim to bring together local, national, and global participants to co-create solutions to issues such as access to housing, positive health outcomes, and community wealth-building. Local organisations, including Oxford Renters’ Union, Retrofit Balsall Heath, and Rose Hill & Iffley Low Carbon Hub will be present to co-facilitate sessions alongside us.
This workshop might interest those involved in community action, climate justice, housing justice, collaborative design, and those seeking a fairer, better world.
We look forward to seeing you there!
🎟️ Find out more and sign up here.
Studio Life: Site Visit to Herefordshire
We recently visited a stunning site in Herefordshire, set in a beautiful rural location. This wonderful 19th-century farmhouse presented an exciting opportunity to blend historic charm with ambitious sustainability goals, while fitting perfectly with modern family life. Working with open and aspirational clients like this is exactly the kind of project we love. If you have similar retrofit, renovation, or extension aspirations for your home, get in touch. We’d love to help bring your vision to life. Watch this space for updates on this inspiring journey! 🌿🏡
Got a community project that you’d like to work together with us on, or a retrofit to your home, or any other design needs?
Find out more about our services and arrange a design consultation.