Community-Led Design
Gone are the days of the heroic architect figure, the top-down approach to placemaking has been replaced with a heartfelt ambition to start from the bottom-up! We believe in the power of people to create their own built environment that is not speculative or state owned. Community-led approaches to design & planning are about people getting the built environment that they want & need developed.
As architects we support this approach to development by using our skills to design new buildings & places, reimagine vacant & older buildings or adapt these places to be more resilient to future challenges.
A resilient future has a better chance of materialising if we share the ownership for its creation through increased public participation & involvement in design, planning and development activities.
It all begins with you inviting us to engage with your community or group at an early stage. The first thing we will do as your architect is understand your aspirations for the project by asking questions & listening to you.
Here at Islander, we love a good design brief. We work with communities & groups to prepare our design brief with their participation helping us identify their user requirements at an early stage.
The architectural design process can be an important tool in the transformation of our shared culture over time. It has the potential to support your livelihood, enrich your place or community & pride in place.
Our job is to help you develop a vision that reflects your values & is feasible with the resources at your disposal. We will carry out a feasibility study for the development potential of your site, building or neighbourhood.
We use our knowledge of architecture to translate your artistic, aesthetic, cultural, social & psychological needs into buildings & places that serve your environmental, economic & technical purposes.
As architects, we understand the need for planning & building regulation. Investing in your future requires knowing how to get the job done right. Our design & management skills are valuable to you to help you navigate these complex areas of your development journey.
Our architecture & urbanism skills add value to your community-led design development as our research, reports, analysis, presentation & detail drawings can support you in your bid to fundraise for the development of the project
We provide a range of useful services such as:
Architectural talks
Community surveys e.g. Development plan, brainstorming
Design-thinking workshops for community groups
Preparation of design brief report or statement of needs based on participatory Co-Design principles
Preparation of initial design proposals
Preparation of section 5 applications to the Local Planning Authority
Preparation of planning permission applications to the Local Planning Authority
Attendance at pre-planning meetings with the Local Planning Authority
Preparation of documents for Disability Access Certificates
Preparation of initial design proposals based on participatory Co-Design principles
Preparation of documents for Fire Safety Certificates
It is difficult to please everyone but it helps if you listen to their point of view and talk through the options in a light, matter-of-fact way. Architecture is part of everyday life, so should be part of public debate.
We care about who we work with & we recognise that you will be the people leading this development process so we act in an advisory and creative capacity to help you visualise your ambitions, achieve statutory consents & funding. We get involved to bring extra motivation to your team & to help realise your dreams!