The Circular Kitchen
The Circular Kitchen is a collaborative project between our London studio and third year Central Saint Martins Architecture students to design a portable garden kitchen made almost entirely from repurposed materials.
As London shifts towards retrofitting, The Circular Kitchen aims to change attitudes around waste materials by highlighting their potential for reuse.
Starter
In early 2024, we invited a group of architecture students from Central Saint Martins to design a flexible outdoor kitchen, embracing the principles of circular design. Our London studio partnered with Brockwell Community Greenhouses in Lambeth—who acted as a potential client—and South London Reclamation, a supplier of reclaimed materials.
The students visited the community garden to explore the site and meet with potential users of the kitchen. Their insights shaped the final design: a two-part, reconfigurable octagonal structure that opens out into a functional outdoor kitchen. The kitchen is modular, mobile, and easy to store in winter, making it ideal for community use year-round.
The project has been a really enjoyable, and a powerful educational tool. It was great to see students contribute, lead and grow with the project, getting involved in the day-to-day life of our studio, and present Circular Kitchen at their final show in June. The project has opened our eyes to the number of community led initiatives that exist in our local area and through the Circular kitchen we are able to contribute to the people led support network of South London.
Flynn Williams, Part II Architectural Assistant
Second helping
The success of the design led to a real-life commission. The team was invited by Woolwich Common Community Centre to design a version of the kitchen adapted for their garden.
The new kitchen will need to offer even more flexibility as its use will extend beyond the Woolwich Common Community Centre.
A moveable feast
With a new site, and new users in mind, the team once again turned to Central Saint Martins students to continue the project.
In April 2025, a fresh group of students took part in a three-day project to create a short film that captures the stories and aspirations of the Woolwich Common community. They met with cooking groups, gardeners, women’s groups and local boxers to understand how the kitchen could support everyday life at the centre.
Just desserts
In April 2025, Woolwich Common Community Centre received lottery funding to support the build of The Circular kitchen. Stride Treglown will partner with Public Works to build the kitchen this summer, working once again with Central Saint Martins students and volunteers from the Community Centre.
The Circular kitchen at the London Festival of Architecture
As part of this year’s London Festival of Architecture, Stride Treglown hosted The Circular Kitchen: A Celebration of Food, Community Voices, and Sustainable Design. The evening event, fittingly held at The Urban Farmer Project, showcased a series of short films created by Central Saint Martins students. These films shared stories from Woolwich Common Community Centre and highlighted the positive impact of the Circular Kitchen initiative.
A panel discussion, chaired by Director Laura Cassullo, featured key contributors to the project: Jane Downes from Woolwich Common Community Centre, Flynn Williams, who initiated The Circular Kitchen, and guest speakers Oscar Rodriguez FRSA, Lady Lucy French OBE, and Mark Williams CIWFM. Together, they explored how food, storytelling, and inclusive design can empower people and help build stronger, more connected communities.
Reimagining Waste as a Resource
By reusing what’s available, The Circular Kitchen rethinks our approach to making, consuming, and recycling, using creativity to turn waste into valuable community resources.
Initiative contacts
Flynn Williams
Part II Architectural Assistant
Karla Bonner
Part II Architectural Assistant
Nik Hoggarth
Senior Associate Architect
