We have clear and strong values that underpin everything we do.
Our guiding principles are:
1 Creating better places through great design.
We believe in the power of good design to improve and transform peoples’ lives.
2 Collaboration works.
We believe that working together and including everyone results in better design.
3 Be respectful & resourceful.
We believe that being respectful of people and resources is central to creating better places.
4 Integrity and principles matter.
We believe in a working culture based on ethics, principles, honesty and commitment.
1 Creating better places through great design
We believe in the power of good design to improve and transform people’s lives.
So what are better places?
For us, better places are inclusive, sustainable, imaginative, and affordable. They should reflect and respond to all the people that use them, be welcoming and accessible, and inspiring to all that visit them.
And what is great design?
The nature of the design process is fundamental to the outcome, and we believe that the more you can involve people the better the result can be. Great design should be uplifting and empowering, but need not be flashy or expensive - in fact real creativity and ingenuity often comes from working with smaller budgets.
2 Collaboration works
We believe that working together and including everyone results in better design.
Within the studio
Through eliminating a vertical hierarchy better collaboration is encouraged, where everyone’s input is welcomed, and learning from one another helps the overall problem solving.
With the community
While we come armed with architectural skills and experience we can’t create truly responsive and meaningful design in isolation. Real engagement and participation allows people to contribute and help shape their environment, and through an honest and open dialogue we can build healthier and more vital communities, and achieve real positive change.
And beyond….
Collaboration doesn’t stop there, and we believe that to really capture social value, to promote shared learning, and enable informed decision-making, it is essential to pursue this approach with all stakeholders and disciplines, within the team and beyond.
3 Be respectful and resourceful
We believe that being respectful of people and resources is central to creating better places.
Respecting people and their ideas
Creative thinking and great ideas appear when people aren’t afraid to speak up. Many people have lots to offer but only through being respectful and embracing diversity can we get the most from the process.
Respecting time and money
These are precious commodities and have to be used wisely and efficiently. We will respect other people’s time and money, and we hope that others will respect ours. Belong is our way of earning a living so it must be sustainable for us too.
Respecting the environment
We all have a big part to play in looking after the planet, and sustainability is an integral part of the design process. We are committed to reduce, re-use and re-cycle and always seek low energy and low carbon solutions.
Be resourceful
Value is created through a collaborative effort involving many stakeholders and resources. It is a delicate relationship between benefits and costs. Whether the resource is a material, energy, or someone’s time, it must be used efficiently and always with a view to creating long-term benefits.
4 Integrity and principles matter
We believe in a working culture based on ethics, principles, honesty and commitment.
Be true to our aims
Achieving social change through design is only worthwhile if the means by which it is achieved are true to the aim. The result, however good, is diminished if it is achieved through exploitation or unethical practice.
Be honest
We’ll always tell it how it is (politely of course). We will never engage in greenwashing, or make spurious claims about embodied carbon.
Commitment
We will only work for clients where there is a genuine commitment to engage with all parts of the community in a process of real participation, and who like us, want to design with people to help make a more desirable and sustainable future.
