Frances Crow

MY APPROACH:

I am interested in working on projects that retrofit redundant or under-used buildings and looking at ways of creating new physical and organisational structures that will encourage the reuse of abandoned spaces. This includes considering 'meanwhile' uses, preserving and enhancing the heritage rights of access, and use of common land and the 'village green'; supporting the right of everyone to have access to shelter by working with principles that are integral to the tiny house movement and wiki-house; exploring community rights and the opportunities afforded by the Localism Act for local populations to bid, build and challenge new developments; always starting from the potential of low-impact, sustainable development within the rural context.

In bringing together my experience from teaching, research, engaged-arts practice and as a professional architect, I am looking to work in partnership with developers, other architectural practices, community groups, co-housing groups and community land trusts in developing working practices and buildings that create a sustainable future and bring redundant land and buildings back into use.

I am also interested in working with individuals and families who are keen to look at ways of improving their home and work environments and in doing so meeting the RIBA 2030 climate challenge which in turn will contribute to the UK reaching net zero carbon emission by 2050.

My CURRENT architectural practice includes the following projects:

Researching how the methods of co-production can be used as a way of delivering co-created projects from design to build for the continued benefit of the wider community: Projects include Hyperlocal Health (with Falmouth University), Hyper-local/High-street (with Megan Beck) and Just Build

Cornwall as a site of practice: Projects include The Cornish Unit - Research and design project looking at the ‘Cornish Unit’ and demonstrating its historic and cultural value as an innovative prefabricated building technology that has come directly from the Cornish landscape.

Sustainable Futures: Projects include The Shed which utilises Walter Seagle’s self-build method to design and build a low-impact garden shed and The Outspan, a design and development project to sustain the life of a distinctive 1939 chalet-bungalow and create a quality-designed family home in response to the climate emergency.

Experience:

I have worked in practice since 1998. Following my training at Liverpool John Moore’s University and the Bartlett, University College London, I worked for a number of national and international architects, both in London and Berlin. My original interest in sustainable design and the conservation of historic buildings, began in the North Welsh mountains whilst working as a part 1 student for Adam and Frances Voelcker Architects. This interest continued in my work with van Heyningen and Haward Architects, London where I worked as part of the team on the Polhill Library for the University of Bedfordshire. After working in Berlin as an architectural educator at Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in 1999 -2000, I returned to van Heyningen & Haward to take on the role of project architect on Brooklands, English Heritage’s East of England Headquarters. This experience developed my knoweldge of working with heritage buildings which I have continued in enjoy as part of my ongoing practice. As a member of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), I value the SPABs approach of ‘conservative repair’ to heritage buildings and I apply this approach to both older buildings and sustainable retrofits of more contemporary structures.

Between 2002–2007 I worked as a senior lecturer at Plymouth University in the School of Architecture and the i-dat research group. At the same time, with partner David Prior, formed the collaborative arts practice Liminal and started a family. Then in 2007, I started a small design practice in Totnes, Devon, that concentrated on ecological solutions for small-scale projects. Through Liminal, we developed an engaged-practice that spans the contexts of art galleries, festivals, educational institutions and museum/exhibitions and this has enriched my own architectural practice.

I returned to academia in 2014 where I worked as senior lecturer in architecture at Falmouth University, to write, develop and teach on, the new BA(hons) in architecture with colleagues Tom Ebdon and Janie Hinton. As part of my research role at the university I was instrumental in founding Architecture Making Community, a platform through which architectural staff and students can work with community partners on live builds, participatory design and community projects. I also led the Adaptive Living project as part of the Multigenerational living and Learning programme, working with students and older members of our community to look at the possibilities of co-design and co-housing in this sector. In September 2019, I left the role at Falmouth University to work as an independent researcher, educator and architect.

I feel particularly passionate about being part of the community in which I live and from 2014 - 2015 was a member of the Penryn Town Council’s Town Team and worked with them on the Connected Communities: Penryn project which engaged the Falmouth University architectural students with members of the town to envisage the future of the town centre. I was also an original member of the steering group who worked on the public consultation for the Penryn Neighbourhood Plan.