Design City

Design City is a hypothetical architectural project that reimagines the architecture school as an open, civic space rather than an exclusive, insular institution. Located in Islington, London, it proposes a community design center and satellite school where architecture students teach public classes while continuing their own work. The project challenges elitist design culture by fostering collaboration between designers and the general public.

Architecturally, the building is conceived as an urban landscape, with a dynamic ground plane that creates a sheltered civic space and a network of twisting, interconnected internal and external spaces. A public promenade weaves through the structure, culminating in a rooftop garden with panoramic views of London. This spatial strategy invites public engagement at all levels of the building.

Programmatically, the project critiques the profit-driven development of the Celtic Tiger era, advocating instead for inclusive, community-oriented design that integrates public needs and shared learning into the architectural process.