Collective Works

22/01/2026

Throwing back to 2016 at Collective Works…

Here we are on a team trip to Norway (1), celebrating a fantastic year of projects.

We created a perfectly fitted out kitchen and dining room for the (2), took on a self-driven project to upgrade an existing, but dilapidated outdoor stage in Paradise Park Children’s Centre in ( with product designer .laing.objects) to create this covered landscape of hanging ropes – sheltered from the elements, but full of light and possibilities for imaginative play.(3), started work on an outdoor classroom for (4) and built a completely demountable temporary theatre for the ’s community company (5), all against the backdrop of creating liveable, joyful residential projects for private individuals.

In 2026, we still have creativity, community, teamwork at the heart of the practice – continuing our emphasis on projects with impact  - working within communities to deliver low energy, healthy projects with care.

04/01/2026

04/01/2026

Our client loved their cottage on Barrenger Road, but it was getting really cramped with two teenage children. A garden extension doubled the size of the ground floor and the home now has a steer facing library room, a TV snug, a functional laundry room and WC as well as a large garden facing kitchen and dining room where previously it was only an open kitchen and living room.

We are about to upload this project to our website - which information should we include?

22/12/2025

A book-themed Christmas🎄Party this year at our client pop-up - a lovely evening of food, drinks, book recommendations, games and bringing our team and partners together.
We’re logging off today, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a relaxing and festive break.
🎄
Thank you to all clients, friends and collaborators for being part of our Collective Works community this year, we’ve enjoyed collaborating with you enormously.

26/11/2025

Introducing our newest coworker, and our specialist support team!

We’ve recently appointed Nicci Rowlands as our new finance manager and Jenny Stephens has been working with us on our PR and marketing since 2024.

As a small practice, there are always tasks that we know are important, but aren’t always at the top of the todo list, when there is client facing work to be done. We really appreciate the support we get from our freelance specialist coworkers.  It allows us to concentrate on the architecture, knowing that our finances and marketing are in good hands.

Great to have you on the team!

19/11/2025

The Retrofit 25 exhibition has popped up at Elemental London this week.

It's a great exhibition that digs into the problem of What is Stopping retrofit? And finds some great case studies, products and solutions along the way.

If you are at Olympia this week, do go and have a look. Our Mid Terrace Dream film is on display, as well as some words from Alasdair on retrofit and ethics.

If you want to talk about doing a retrofit project, drop us a line!

11/11/2025

This is Pine Grove, Norway.

We always enjoy working in nature, and this refurbishment of a much loved cabin on the Norwegian coast is about bringing maximum connection to its surroundings. From the tactile rocks and shrubs just outside the cabin to carefully framing the sculptural pine trees that naturally surround the site, and finally, opening up the cabin to the inspirational view over the Oslo Fjord.

16/10/2025

One more for . This seemed a good opportunity to share that has joined the Ethics Committee.

This is what he had to say about it.

"I’m honoured to be joining this committee, especially in the present moment - as our profession adapts to significant internal pressures and external challenges. As a practice Collective Works has always aspired to higher standards and engaged carefully with the ethics of our work. I’ll be bringing that practice experience to the committee, and supporting them in creating very necessary change.”

You can learn more about the ethics committee in the blog on our website ( link in bio) , or via the RIBA.

03/10/2025

Creating a just space for people.

We are one of the / practices listed in the 2025 Regenerative Architecture Index, and have been listed as within the creating a just space for people section.

Q4 asked Does the practice publicly refuse to work with certain clients, suppliers or organisations on ethical grounds.

Click the link in bio to read about the framework we have developed for ethical review, and get in touch if you'd like to know more

19/09/2025

is a critical tool in our belt  - to deliver quality homes for this country, and to work towards meeting our net zero ambitions. But more than that, retrofitting buildings makes our homes, our workspaces and those third spaces - where we meet, play, learn - warmer, dryer, healthier spaces that support our wellbeing, and minimise how much we spend on energy to heat, cool and light them. 

Through the events programme, we have dug into how supporting community groups to retrofit their spaces can snowball the social value delivered ( read more in our blog via the link in bio) and explored the ethics of retrofit - spoiler alert - Retrofit is the right thing to do, through whatever lens you look at it ! We've shared Mid Terrace Dream with visitors and arranged and attended inspiring networking events.

Massive thanks and kudos to
and for organising and delivering and keeping the retrofit agenda front and centre.

We're looking forward to the exhibition popping up again at Elemental London in November. See you there !

11/04/2025

The Times featured Mid Terrace Dream last week. Martina Lees met our clients who ‘wanted to build “something that will last, that doesn’t need redoing every five or ten years”. Linenberg, 31 describes that “ was, like, ‘You guys could do something really powerful here.’” And so, a renovation became a retrofit.’

Our Mid Terrace Dream client futureproofed their home by making some bold decisions at the beginning of the project. They committed to investing in their home now, to reap the benefits later. The cost benefits of having a zero bills house, but also the benefits of comfort and health, and beautiful long lasting finishes throughout the house.   

If you are thinking of your own home renovation, get in touch with us via the link in bio to see how your home could be transformed.



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11/04/2025

Don’t Move, Improve !

Mid Terrace Dream has delivered a zero bills home for our client, but, as put it in last week, “There is beauty too. The bathrooms (brief: Mediterranean spa) feel like jewel boxes with Moroccan-style zellige tiles from .”

Mid Terrace Dream transformed a run down terrace to a beautiful, responsible, high performance home through a deep retrofit. Through excellent insulation, accurate air tightness, MVHR  ventilation and solar panels, the house is low energy, comfortable, and the air is clean.

Are you thinking of your own home renovation? Get in touch with us for a chat about what you could achieve. Link in bio

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