Hello! I’m Jake, an architecture student with interests in sustainable design practices, particularly adaptive and material re-use.
As an architecture student, I approach design through the lens of sustainable design practices and contextual sensitivity. My work, in both design and thesis, focuses on adaptive re-use, combining mapping and research with creative design thinking. I am drawn to the idea that design does not come from a clean slate, but from a context, where salvaged materials, existing structures and a spaces historical narrative become generative tools within the design process.My thesis investigates material re-use in London’s built environment, examining existing buildings. Through mapping, policy analysis, and industry interviews, I explore the constraints in the transition from linear ‘take-make-waste’ models to circular approaches. The research exposes how short-term financial thinking and infrastructure gaps prevent London from capitalising on its abundant material resources, despite the environmental and cultural value of reclaimed materials.
This thesis examines material re-use in London’s built environment through comprehensive mapping of the city’s re-use infrastructure, analysis of current policy frameworks, and insights from practicing architects. Material re-use refers to salvaging, recycling, and re-purposing materials from existing buildings for reintegration into new architectural projects. By mapping London’s material re-use and recycling landscape, this study reveals strategic and physical opportunities and constraints within the city’s embryonic architectural recycling network.
London’s built environment presents unique challenges and opportunities for material re-use. High land values and limited space create economic pressures typically favouring demolition over adaptive re-use. The city’s mixture of historical buildings, dense development, and growing environmental pressures provides an ideal setting to investigate current approaches of architects and planning authorities while identifying barriers to material re-use.
Although modern architectural practices often follow a linear ‘take-make-waste’ model, this study proposes a more nuanced understanding of value in London’s architectural landscape. The research examines not only physical materials but also intangible heritage ingrained in the urban fabric. Combined with perspectives from industry professionals, these findings highlight the challenges and opportunities in transforming London’s built environment into a functioning material mine of valuable resources.
The study contributes to understanding how cities can transition from wasteful linear models to circular approaches that recognize both the material and cultural value embedded in existing structures, offering insights for sustainable urban development practices.
The MArch Architecture is a two-year full-time or three-year part-time programme offering exemption from ARB/RIBA Part 2. It combines rigorous professional training with creative and speculative design exploration. In the first year, students join a themed design unit to undertake a creative building design project combined with a technical and professional report. In the second year, students pursue a comprehensive speculative architectural design project, and an in-depth theoretical thesis tailored to their personal interest. The programme fosters independent thinking, innovation, theoretical and technical excellence, preparing graduates for advanced architectural practice and ongoing professional development in a dynamic global context.
See further details on our prospectus page.
