Retrofit & Extension Project Completed!
We’re pleased to share that one of our residential retrofit projects has reached practical completion this month. It’s been rewarding to see the design come together on site, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the wider project team.
Farewell to Liv!
After three and half years at the co-op, Liv will be leaving at the end of this month. We are incredibly grateful for all that she has contributed and wish her well in her new role. During her time here Liv has worked on a wide variety of projects, reflecting T/D’s broad focus on ecological architecture and community-led design.
Liv led our project for Platform Housing Group where she co-authored a net zero strategy for 40,000 homes across the midlands. She has also worked closely with community groups and community land trusts, running engaging workshops and co-design sessions. We have learnt so much from Liv and are inspired by her determination to tackle social injustices like fuel poverty and access to community space. She has been an advocate of us as a workers cooperative and has led the practice to sign a recognition agreement with Unite the Union’s Section of Architectural Workers (SAW) – more about this below. While we are sad to see her leave we are proud to have worked alongside her and are excited for her new chapter in a local authority, where we are sure she will make an impact. She will be missed by the whole team.
Liv (pictured to the left) during a co-design workshop
Transition by Design at SAW (Section of Architectural Workers) Branch Meeting
On 20th January, Sammy-Jo and Liv went to the SAW (Section of Architectural Workers – the Union for Architectural Workers’) – branch meeting at Unite the Union’s headquarters. They went along to hear about how E5 Bakehouse unionised and signed a recognition agreement (formally allowing the bakery to recognise the union). E5 Bakehouse workers proved how you can unionise in sectors where unions aren’t the traditional norm.
It was inspiring to hear their collective power and how they came to sign a recognition agreement, together with the hurdles they had to overcome to get to where they are at.
We’ve been inspired by this and have been on a journey of working through a proposal to sign a recognition agreement. Just this week, we have now finally signed a recognition agreement, and we believe we are the first architecture practice to do so in the UK. More to come on this next month as we share the news…!
Poster from the E5 Bakehouse event at the SAW Branch Meeting
Studio Life: Japanese Coffee from Joyce’s Travels
Joyce brought back some lovely coffee from her travels in Japan in October 2025. We’ve been getting through it in the studio, and thought we’d share the innovative design. The coffee is pre-packaged in a bag (similar to a teabag), but open on top. It has two arms which allow you to be able to rest the coffee within your mug and pour hot water into the bag. Almost like a mini-pour over coffee set-up! They’re an innovative use of design & also great coffee.
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 here and arrange a design consultation!