We created this community arts initiative to raise awareness of homelessness and the refugee crisis, and with collaboration with Oxfam on projects since 2019. The project asks its participants to create a miniature roomscape in a box. The dioramas are then displayed en masse as an installation, linked by ropes, ladders and ramps in a colourful cardboard maze that muses on the meaning of home.

To read the full article click here.

To get involved this year visit www​.giant​doll​s​house​.org and submit your roomscape in a box, as part of Refugee Week (14 to 20 June), the deadline for submissions has been extended to 14th June 2021.

The feature explores building a house with innovative materials such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) and natural structural insulated panels (NSIPs) and how this satisfies a demand for more sustainable construction that’s not limited by the design constraints of traditional wooden forms. Illustrating how this versatile material can be strikingly contemporary, environmentally progressive and cost-effective.

The sta­tion and sta­tion approach are com­bined in a green pedes­tri­an bridge that cross­es the rail­way line cre­at­ing a com­mu­ni­ty gar­den close to the town. The bridge will serve three func­tions: it will link the sta­tion to the towns’ cen­tre (many sta­tions in small towns are out­side of the cen­tre). It makes cross­ing the rail­way line safe for pedes­tri­ans and it allows wildlife and flow­ers to cross. More information

The build­ing need­ed to be fin­ished in a short time and the client want­ed to use a local builder with knowl­edge of tra­di­tion­al methods. The client loved the tra­di­tion­al Cor­nish slate and tra­di­tion­al cot­tages as well as Voysies build­ings in the neighbourhood.

More information here.

The building needed to be finished in a short time and the client wanted to use a local builder with knowledge of traditional methods.

The client loved the traditional Cornish slate and traditional cottages as well as Voysies buildings in the neighbourhood. It was also important to protect and respect the plot and the original settings of their surroundings: where many houses are built too big for their plot.

Cottages have been built, arguably, in most cultures in most settings. They have in common that they use: local, easily available materials, are simple in shape and don’t use many materials. 

We drew plans of a ​‘converted cottage’ with the entrance at the side of the cottage underneath a canopy and next to the kitchen. The ground floor kitchen, dining living runs on the first floor and is double height where the living room is, from where there are stairs going up to a loft space with two small rooms in dormers, a balcony looking into the living room and with views over the ocean.

The whole property is wheelchair accessible, so the terrace doors are sliding doors and the other doors are specialist. The extra downstairs bathroom is also wheelchair accessible. 

Visit website