Build Studios

FREE CV and portfolio review for built environment professionals
2022-02-07 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
Build Studios is delighted to be partnering with Build Workspace and Architecture Social to deliver a new series of FREE CV and portfolio reviews for professionals and job seekers in the built environment sector.
The sessions will be run by Stephen Drew, founder of the Architecture Social, Head of Talent at Ackroyd Lowrie and Council Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The advice is tailored specifically to architects, interior designers, urban designers and landscape architects.
Stephen has worked directly in the Architecture Industry as a designer and hiring manager, as well as a consultant in the Recruitment Industry. Drawing on this experience to develop the Architecture Social, Stephen has broken down traditional barriers between companies and creatives, providing a supportive environment to develop professional skills, find new jobs and socialise.
Participants in the sessions will also be able to enjoy a free trial day in the co-working space at Build Studios, run by Build Workspace.
What to expect:

10-15 minute review of CV, covering letter and/or portfolio
Expert advice and tips for improving content and presentation to maximise your employability for a new role
Tips for the next stage of your job search
Honest, supportive feedback
Complete confidentiality
A warm welcome at Build Studios

The sessions will run on a drop-in basis between 10am-12pm on the following dates:

Monday 25 October
Friday 26 November
Monday 7 February

What you need to do:

Register your attendance here. The sessions are drop-in. However, please confirm which day you plan to attend so we can manage numbers.
Bring a hard copy of any combination of your CV/covering letter/portfolio or a laptop so you can show the documents electronically (please NO USBs)
Confirm whether you would like to book a free trial day in the co-working space at Build Studios on the same day as your session.

PowWow Waterloo - Making Space for Women
2022-03-08 18:00 - 21:00
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022 and National Careers Week, WeAreWaterloo have partnered with Build Studios for the first PowWow panel talk of the year to shine a light on inspirational women within the built environment.
Hear from Tara Gbolade (RIBAJ’s Rising Star Winner, Co-Founder of GD Studio and the Paradigm Network – a professional network championing Black and Asian representation in the built environment), Fiona McDonald (Head of Learning at the Design Museum and co-founder of Matt+Fiona, an award-winning architectural education organisation), Imogen Blaikie (Urban Planner at Allies and Morrison, a leading architecture and urban planning practice currently developing a placemaking strategy for Waterloo) and Ana Becheru (Director on secondment for Global Operations and EMEA Capital Programmes Delivery Manager with JonesLang LaSalle, JLL).
While our panel represents a line-up of groundbreaking talent, it does not reflect reality within the built environment sector:
– In England, less than 30% of all registered architects are women (AJ)
– In the UK, around 11% of engineers are women, thought to be the lowest rate in Europe (Property Week)
– Almost 90% of female architects say having children puts them at a disadvantage in terms of career growth (AJ)
– Almost 94% of architects are white (The Guardian)
What is causing this lack of representation to persist, and preventing us from having all the voices we need at the table to design the towns and cities we need to navigate local problems and global challenges alike?
Join us for an evening of challenging, thought-provoking and insightful conversation led by Helen Santer, Chief Executive of Build Studios (an inclusive hub for the built environment) and partnerships specialist, addressing issues ranging from access and representation while unpacking how we can make space for women, in more ways than one.
Attendees will receive a complimentary drink on arrival and are invited to network post-event. DJ, a bar (open until late) and good times to be expected!
PowWow Waterloo is a pop-up debate series created by WeAreWaterloo BID and produced by WRB Studios with the sole purpose of making Waterloo *the* place to have challenging discussions, while opening up the neighbourhood to new audiences.
Tickets are £5 and include a free house wine/beer/soft drink.

LFA Studio Lates - Member Showcase
2022-07-01 18:30 - 21:00 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
For LFA Studio Lates 2022, we are opening the doors of our workspace for a quick-fire collection of five minute talks from our members, including:

Pierre Saunal from airc, who will be talking about how OpenBIM is changing the way the human ecosystem is delivered using digital design, bespoke workflows, advanced collaboration and BIM ISO19650.
Jonathan Fashanu from DASH, who will look at the deep retrofit of residential properties to meet modern environmental standards.
Virginia Gillece from Fuller Long, who will be exploring planning issues around a conservation building case study; and
Natalie Raben, CEO of WeAreWaterloo, who will be joined by architecture and urban planning practice, Allies and Morrison, to discuss the process behind developing a Placemaking Strategy for Waterloo.

Join us for an eclectic evening of engaging conversation and refreshments with professionals from a wide range of specialisms in the built environment industry.

The Role of Small Practices in the Climate Emergency
2022-09-29 18:30 - 20:30 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
Build Studios is proud to be hosting the Association of Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE) for a roundtable event exploring the role of small practices in the Climate Emergency.
The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Jonathan Fashanu, founding director of DASH and AFBE’s industry lead.
Please join us in person for a thought-provoking discussion punctuated by drinks and nibbles. Delegates can also register to join the event virtually.
Register to attend at the AFBE website here.

Making Space For Women - Treehouses At Kew
2023-02-22 18:00 - 20:30 | The Hercules, 2 Kennington Road, London, SE1 7BL, United Kingdom
We are delighted to welcome Melissa Woolford, founder and director of the Museum of Architecture, as our speaker, who will be talking about their forthcoming ‘Treehouses’ exhibition in partnership with Kew Gardens.
Melissa will be talking about where the idea came from, the partner search, and competition that was run by the MoA, and the systems that were put in place to ensure open access to small practices.
We will then open the evening up for informal evening with drinks, nibbles and an opportunity to chat with colleagues and new connections.
Book your tickets by clicking the link below!

LFA Lets Build - Unchartered Territory
2023-06-08 18:00 - 21:00 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
As part of the London Festival of Architecture, Lets Build bring to you live in-person events.
Annette Fisher will moderate and host this event which will include a Pecha Kucha style debate with 7 diverse panelists from the industry. Pecha Kucha celebrates people, passion, and creativity through storytelling. It is a way to communicate and connect with others visually, concisely, and memorably. Through inclusive social engagement and technology, it redefines authentic human connectivity
Construction professionals from different backgrounds are challenging the concept of in common on both a literal and metaphorical level. Exploring similarities and differences between them. Is there a greater degree of similarity between them than difference?
The theme is explored through the lens of “uncharted territory” to find opportunities that can transcend traditional barriers that impede construction success.

LFA Waterloo - Station; Destination; Shared Aspiration
2023-06-28 18:00 - 20:00 | 26 Leake St, 26 Leake St, 7 Addington Street, London, 7NN
Build Studios and WeAreWaterloo are co-hosting a unique event during London Festival of Architecture, which will explore the development of Waterloo and the response from its diverse communities.
As a result of the proposed Station Masterplan and other major developments such as Royal Street, passengers passing through this busy transport hub will experience a fantastic improvement, but how will these and other major developments integrate with, and enhance, the lives of those living in, rather than passing through, this unique part of London?
The richness of Waterloo lies in its diversity, with a vibrant arts scene, independent businesses, an engaged and active resident population, and new developments by the station. This is the goal of a new placemaking strategy managed by WeAreWaterloo BID.
The panel chaired by Helen Santer will explore how to achieve consensus in Waterloo’s fast-changing environment.

Who's coming to the March?
2024-03-07 18:00 - 20:00 | the vault studio, The Vaults Studio Arch 223 a-c, 224, 225 139 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AE
Join us, Build Studios and WeAreWaterloo on Thursday 7th March for our latest event!
Who’s coming on the march?
Making Space for Women presents an intergenerational panel discussion for International Women’s Day exploring the protest roots of the movement and how this applies to today’s built environment. The panel will hear from three women at different stages in their built environment careers about what we still need to fight for in today’s towns and cities, and who we need to bring with us on this journey.
Confirmed Speakers:
Deborah Nagan
Victoria Collins
About Making Space for Women
Making Space for Women is a networking group for women in the built environment. We are open to all women in the sector, but our origins are in Waterloo where we were co-founded by WeAreWaterloo BID and Build Studios with Build Workspace. We aim to provide an informal opportunity for networking, and a forum for fascinating debate in a part of London known for its activism and engagement.
We encourage our male friends and colleagues to attend our events – we need them on this journey too!
Location & Accessibility
The Vaults Studio
Arch 223 a-c, 224, 225
139 Lower Marsh
SE1 7AE
Located in the arch in the alley on the left hand side of Unwined.
Access is step free. The path to the venue is uneven so please let us know if you require further assistance.
Accessible toilets are based offsite at the Walrus Pub, or at Build Studios.
Get tickets here. Tickets are £5. Please email hello@buildstudios.co.uk if ticket price is a barrier.

2024-03-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
Join us for an evening of good food, good drink and good conversation at Build Studios. Alternative Practice aims to create a community of young workers and students that are interested in challenging the boundaries of traditional built environment discipline.
Alternative Practice presents a workshop to explore participation in sustainable urbanism. Guided by our hosts Amy Marsden (landscape architect) and Will Chantry (sustainability consultant) we will map, make and play whilst redefining what a ‘sustainable’ city looks, feels and behaves like. We will use the inner-city pocket of Waterloo as our canvas, to develop our sustainable agenda.
Note: No prior knowledge of Waterloo or sustainable urbanism is necessary. Our activities will be focusing on the two primary walking routes from Waterloo Station (and adjacent bus stops) to Build Studios. If you have time before the workshop feel free to take a conscious walk from there to us to take in the area. Otherwise your curiosity and enthusiasm will more than suffice.
Our Workshop Facilitators
Our speakers/facilitators are either students or young workers. We believe It is important to give young people agency in important discussions. Rejecting the idea that you have to be ‘established’ or ‘successful’ to have a voice. We hope this can encourage a participative environment.
Amy Marsden, Landscape Architect at Mcgregor Coxall
Will Chantry, Geographer and sustainability consultant at Savills
Get a ticket here

Alternative Practice at The London Festival of Architecture: Getting Together + Going Places
2024-06-06 18:30 - 21:00 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
Join us for an evening of good food, drink and conversation at Build Studios to celebrate the London Festival of Architecture. Alternative Practice presents a panel discussion to re-imagine transport and what that means for young people, paying particular attention to how transport infrastructure can support and block access to culture, community and the night-time economy.
The event is run as part of Build Studios’ Alternative Practice programme – a community of students and young workers interested in challenging the boundaries of traditional built environment discipline. Alternative Practice is opening its doors to the LFA community to share in this discussion about how we can do things differently.
Speakers
Himali Patil, Community Rail Partnership Officer & Artist
Ezra Johnson, Campaigns and Communications Officer at Transport for All
Tickets
Tickets are £5 which includes food prepared by Alternative Practice’s resident chef Danny Ly and drinks. Please indicate any dietary requirements and allergens.
If the ticket price is a barrier then please email hello@buildstudios.co.uk
We are an accessible venue and our nearest station is Waterloo
Alternative Practice is an events and activities programme from Build Studios. We are a registered charity committed to developing a socially responsible built environment sector and working with our community to improve access and aspiration for young people.

Alternative Practice: The Future of Work
2024-10-15 18:30 - 21:00 | 91-94 lower marsh, 91-94 Lower Marsh, Londin, SE1 7AB, United Kingdom
The image of the built environment worker is a tired one. Student dreams are quickly retired as you become a young worker, questioning if this is really what you signed up for. But as union power and alternative, worker-led business models begin to shine through the cracks, is the future of built environment labour ultimately on the right track? – and does it have the capacity to change the nature and outcome of the work we do for the better? Armed with a cocktail in one hand and a placard in the other, Alternative Practice re-groups for a discussion on the future of work.
Tickets here!

Embracing BIM: Solutions for Small and Medium Businesses and Practitioners
2025-06-12 06:30 - 20:30 | Build Studios, 203 Westminster Bridge Road,, London, SE1 7FR, United Kingdom
Build Studios invites you to our upcoming event on Thursday 12th June: ‘Embracing BIM: Solutions for Small and Medium Businesses and Practitioners’, delivered in partnership with airc.digital /Let’s BIM it! and Nemetschek Group
Register here!
