We Made That

We are pleased to have been selected as finalists in the Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy category of the RTPI Awards 2019. 

This study for the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) comprised of three parts; an Economy Study, a Cultural and Creative Opportunities Assessment providing an overview of the opportunities in the cultural and creative sector, leisure and other night-time economy uses across the Legacy Corporation area, and a Retail Requirements Assessment providing an appropriate and robust evidence base for town centre policies. We Made That collaborated with Hatch Regeneris, Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy and Carter Jonas to deliver this multi-faceted study. We Made That were particularly responsible for detailed on-the-ground business mapping and surveying in order to build up an accurate picture of the LLDC’s local economy in 2018 that goes beyond the data. In combination, the Local Economy Study provides a comprehensive evidence base for key elements of the LLDC’s Local Plan review.

We are happy to share that Holly has been featured in The Planner as a ‘Woman of Influence’. 

Every year for International Women’s Day, The Planner publishes a list of planning’s Women of Influence. This year, 50 Women of Influence have been selected by a number of planners to celebrate the impact of women on planning and planners. As per the article, ‘some women are on the list because they’ve had a significant influence on national planning policy; others because they’ve inspired the planners who work with them.’

‘She [Holly] has led two landmark pieces of influential policy work that is shaping the built environment in London: High Streets for All (PDF), a study for the Mayor of London on the social value of London’s High Streets; and Industrial Intensification and Co-location design guidance for the Mayor of London, which sets out ambitious plans for retention of industrial employment space alongside new housing across the city. She is appointed as a Mayor’s Design Advocate for the Greater London Authority and CABE Built Environment Expert.’

We Made That are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Building Design Young Architect of the Year Awards 2019, with the winner being announced on 1st May! 

Click here to read the article, and keep your fingers crossed.

In a profession that is woefully lacking in diversity, New Architecture Writers is an exciting and dynamic programme that We Made That is delighted to support. 

Phineas Harper, Deputy Director of the Architecture Foundation, said: “We Made That have consistently shown themselves to be a forward-looking and deeply ethical practice. I am thrilled that they have chosen to support New Architecture Writers both financially and in-kind.

New Architecture Writers is a crucial project for bringing new voices into architectural discourse. In its first year, N.A.W. has mixed architecture lectures, building tours, public debates, written exercises, and one-to-one tutorials into a rich, programme with its alumni poised to launch the first BAME-only architecture magazine, Afterparti. None of this would be possible without the support of critical firms who believe diversity and equality are essential to the practice and discussion of architecture in the 21st century. Thank you, We Made That!”

We Made That have recently completed refurbishment works and a new extension to East Street Library in Walworth. The project has been delivered as part of a wider ‘What Walworth Wants’ strategy commissioned by Southwark Council and the Greater London Authority to make significant improvements to the area. Along with East Street Market enhancements, the project is one of two ‘catalyst projects’ that have been realised as part of the strategy, with funding secured from the Mayor of London.

The newly opened bright red extension – East Street Exchange – now allows the library to boost activity and host a flexible range of new uses. It offers an affordable space for local businesses, entrepreneurs and community groups; provides a much-needed flexible meeting space for groups in the area to meet (bookable even outside of normal library opening hours); and makes space for homework club and peer-to-peer language assistance. 

We Made That led a multi-disciplinary team on the project, including engineering input from Engineers HRW and OR Consulting, Stockdale as cost consultant and artwork design by Maddison Graphic.

We’re looking for the very best people to join our growing team. You should be talented, ambitious and tenacious. Right now there are several roles we’re hoping to fill to work on exciting new projects:

• Senior Urban Researcher (Projects leader) [job description pdf]
• Project Architect (+3 years post part III)  [job description pdf]
• Architectural Assistant (Part II)  [job description pdf]
• Urban Research Assistant  [job description pdf]

Deadline for applications is 17th February 2019 and details of how to apply are in the job descriptions.

Thinking about it? Drop in and visit us any time between 4pm and 7.30pm, Wednesday 6th February. Meet the team, hear what we’ve got going on! LEAVE YOUR PORTFOLIO AT HOME.

At this time of year, we like to prove that We Made That can actually make some stuff. For this year’s creative Christmas extravaganza, We Made That returned to Blackhorse Lane to learn about leather making at Blackhorse Workshop.

Mia Sabel and Colin Coutts from SABEL Saddlery provided our team with an introduction to the basics of traditional saddlery, including leather preparation, double-stitching and hand-burnishing. More information about the Mia and Colin’s workshop here.

Festive wishes to all our clients, collaborators, friends and colleagues!

Holly and Melissa both spoke on the subject of industry in London at recent events, for Estates Gazette and RTPI London respectively. 

Melissa spoke at EG’s Industrial and Logistics Summit, on the subject of the light industrial uses in London, alongside Hawkins\Brown, Colliers, CAG Consultants, Marchmont Investment Management and Maples Teesdale. The panel covered issues of investor confidence and demand for industrial stock, the implications of the New London Plan on industrial floorspace supply, and what future industrial workspace delivered through intensification schemes might look like, drawing on We Made That’s recent work on industrial intensification for the Greater London Authority. See more of the discussion at #EGSummit. 

Holly also spoke at the RTPI London Summit about the challenges of delivering on the Mayor’s vision for ‘Good Growth’ in London’s suburbs. Inevitably, this brings the use of London’s industrial land into question, particularly when boroughs are faced with intimidating housing numbers. Speaking alongside Heather Cheeseborough of LB Croydon, Jane Custane from LB Waltham Forest and Rob Kryzyszowski from LB Brent, Holly advocated for careful consideration and intensification of London’s industrial areas in the face of development pressures.

A series of bespoke high street projects in Burnt Oak have been delivered including: shopfront improvements along Watling Avenue, a news kiosk for Burnt Oak Station forecourt, and a community noticeboard to Burnt Oak Library. 

The delivered projects were an outcome of the ‘Burnt Oak Looking Forward’ Town Centre Strategy, which was commissioned by the London Borough of Barnet, and produced by a team comprising We Made That, Retail Revival, Maddison Graphic and Stockdale. The strategy provided a set of projects for Burnt Oak town centre, which were shaped to be delivered through the GLA’s High Street Fund.

Holly joined Alma-Nac, Finn Williams of Public Practice, Alison Killing and Douglas Murphy to launch the latest issue of AD Magazine.

The issue, titled ‘New Modes: Redefining Practice’ is guest edited by Alma-Nac, and explores how a generation of architects - including We Made That - are leading the way towards new forms of practice by challenging conventional ideas of ‘The Architect’ and reclaiming the notion of architecture as something public that should work ultimately towards the collective good. 

Buy your own copy here. 

We Made That and Hatch Regeneris are currently working with Hackney Council to understand more about value of creative industries, cultural, community and third-sector organisations, both to the Hackney’s economy and its communities. The work aims to establish a detailed understanding of the rapid economic change which has been experience in Hackney over the past decade, and examine the implications for this for the borough’s places and communities. 

The study includes detailed economic profiles of each of Hackney’s key employment areas, detailed workspace mapping, and a social value study of the borough’s creative, cultural and community sectors. The study uses this research to propose a new social value framework for Hackney Council to use to track the economic, social and environmental value of the borough’s economy over time. This study will help to inform development within Hackney in the future, including the borough’s emerging Local Plan (LP33).

In February 2017 the Mayor of London in partnership with South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) launched a bold new vision - the Thames Estuary Production Corridor: a future facing vision which aims to make the Estuary a global centre for digital, cultural and creative production, leading global innovation, developing talent and cultivating world changing ideas. We Made That has been working with Hatch Regeneris and Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy to develop this vision into a strong case for investment to deliver on these ambitions, supported by a detailed evidence base of creative production activity across the estuary. This work has included on-the-ground mapping and engagement with production facilities and creative studios across east London, North Kent and South Essex. 

One of these creative studios is Clayspace in Margate, where We Made That recently visited on an office day out to experience the craft of pottery. Clayspace Studios is a not-for-profit social enterprise set up to offer a professional ceramics studio space and teaching facility for the whole community. Their aim is to provide inspiration and support for anyone wanting to work with clay at all levels of ability and experience. They run a regular programme of classes, short courses and drop-in sessions from their studios in Margate.

We recently received our hand-made pottery and are pleasantly surprised with the results! Thanks again to Bridget and the rest of the Clayspace team for a wonderful day!

We Made That and Hatch Regeneris recently developed an evidence base and action plan for the London Borough of Croydon to support their bid to become one of London’s first Creative Enterprise Zones. Croydon’s creative sector has experienced strong growth over the last five years, with a 93% increase in the level of employment. This is the highest growth rate of any of Croydon’s sectors, with more than 1,100 jobs created in five years and 120 more businesses operating than in 2011. The proposed Croydon Creatives CEZ will nurture this growth with a consortium of local creative and cultural organisations, educational institutions and development partners at its helm.

More info: Creative Enterprise Zones

We Made That have been appointed alongside Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy for a research and development programme to support the growth of the creative sector of the economy across the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership area, embracing arts, design, media and digital. The project is led by the Centre for Culture and Creativity at Lincoln University, together with local and regional partners including Lincoln City Council, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Lincolnshire County Council, Arts Council England, Lincolnshire Economic Action Partnership and Investors in Lincoln.

The work will culminate in a feasibility study for the development of a creative production hub in Lincoln and set of recommendations for other parts of the county.

We Made That are leading a team to develop a Cultural Infrastructure Plan for Thamesmead, along with Regeneris and Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy . The first Cultural Infrastructure Plan will become Peabody’s blueprint for what cultural facilities they should be providing to create a culturally rich and vibrant new town for London with over 100,000 residents by 2030. This will include developed proposals for the buildings and spaces where culture is produced and consumed, from artists’ workspace, to theatres and music venues. It will be supported with robust evidence on why these facilities should be provided, what local jobs they will provide, and include a practical toolkit on how Peabody will deliver them.

We Made That partnered with Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy and Regeneris to develop a detailed plan for Lewisham to become one of the Mayor of London’s first designated Creative Enterprise Zones. These will be districts of London for which a set of targeted and tailored planning, investment and support activities will be developed.

The Lewisham Creative Enterprise Zone focuses on the districts of New Cross and Deptford – which have undergone a rapid process of culture-led change in recent years. Anchored by Goldsmiths University and cultural institutions such as Laban, Albany and Cockpit Arts, the district is becoming a vital cluster for London’s creative economy. 

More info: Creative Enterprise Zones

We Made That partnered with Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy and Regeneris to develop a detailed plan for Hatton Garden to become one of the Mayor of London’s first designated Creative Enterprise Zones. These will be districts of London for which a set of targeted and tailored planning, investment and support activities will be developed.

The Hatton Garden Creative Enterprise Zone is in an area historically known as London’s jewellery district: a place of jewellery making and a major centre for buying and selling. It is London’s hyper-dense cluster of craft skills and creative knowledge. It is a small area with big influence. A vision has been developed to support the evolution of Hatton Garden as a dynamic, networked and engaged creative cluster. 

More info: Creative Enterprise Zones