“I tell lots of people – I built that!”

Across 12 weeks, the team of 18 Young Placemakers integrated ideas of ‘playable landscapes’ and ‘play as a performance’ into the design.

With a goal of reusing materials from the site, the design and garden grows from existing concrete slabs and previous cabins. A robust use of steel, timber and stainless-steel panels means that, once the site is redeveloped, the pavilion can be moved to a new location. Its next home will be at Regent’s Park Estate, a place many of the participants call home.

Using connections from the FYA’s established base in Euston provided the team with the opportunity to work with and for the people of the area.

Matthew Springett, director, MATT+FIONA, highlights the importance of this, “This unique project demonstrates the true value that comes from trusting young people to contribute to the shaping of the public spaces that we all share. We are proud of the Young Placemakers whom we have worked with on this project.”

Using the initial brief of a play alongside a series of site visits, collage, model-making and proto-building workshops, a series of designs were developed. All the ideas were compiled to produce a project that felt ‘true to the spirit’ of their exploration.

The Young Placemakers were also given the opportunity to develop new skills in constructing the pavilion.

Springett identifies that, “For us, there’s nothing more significant than being able to provide the tools and space for young people to bring their own designs to life physically.”

The participants were taught to saw, drill, hammer and paint during the assembly process, pushing their skills further than working on pen and paper.

"Build week really changed a lot for me," says one female participants aged 16. "I was getting to develop skills and then I got to meet someone from the construction college. That day I knew whatever happened for my GCSE’s that I had a plan – now I’m on a construction course and I honestly can’t thank everyone enough for the opportunity." 

The result of the Young Placemakers work and engagement with the project is a unique performance space, dubbed a ‘beacon of assembly’ by MATT+FIONA.

“The panels on the upper level of Reflect are the truest reflections of the Young Placemakers’ ideas and new skills. They designed them, honed their ideas and then gained the confidence to build them.” Springett says.

Providing a symbol of pride in the Young Placemakers local area, the participatory design project has become something that the young people can say truly belongs to them and is worth something to the local community.

"I tell lots of people – I built that! I have shown all my family and some of our neighbours." says another Young Placemaker, aged 12.

It seems to fit the goal set out by LDA Design’s Dafydd Warburton, design director – who took the lead on creating the meanwhile garden that compliments the pavilion. “We want people, especially our Young Placemakers, to enjoy the space and to feel proud of what they have achieved.”