Rhys Pritchard

I initiated a collaboration between the Energy Saving Trust and the Government Digital Service to innovate new digital tools to help people cut carbon emissions.

The V&A in partnership with homeless charity 999 Club made an open call for makers to create dining furniture for a food waste feast, using materials salvaged from the museum’s waste shipping crates. Taking Eileen Gray’s Transat Chair as a starting point, I used salvaged birch ply and timber to form a frame, and donated ‘vegan leather’ for an upholstered seat. This was exhibited alongside other makers' work as part of the Day of Design at Exhibition Road - for the finale of London Design… Show more

The V&A in partnership with homeless charity 999 Club made an open call for makers to create dining furniture for a food waste feast, using materials salvaged from the museum’s waste shipping crates. Taking Eileen Gray’s Transat Chair as a starting point, I used salvaged birch ply and timber to form a frame, and donated ‘vegan leather’ for an upholstered seat. This was exhibited alongside other makers' work as part of the Day of Design at Exhibition Road - for the finale of London Design Festival. It has now been donated to a London charity. Show less

During a combined career break and research trip, I travelled with my family to New Zealand, Australia and Japan. We stayed with cohousing groups to inform our London based community led housing projects, and visited social enterprises en route to learn about emerging models and best practice. Of particular interest was the relationship between social enterprises and cohousing projects.

Our household was one of seven founding partners in this initiative to redevelop a manor house and grounds in Forest Hill, South London as a cohousing community.

The aim was to create a sustainable, affordable and communal way of living in our area that is owned and managed by residents. And to have more fun!

A former gym building was to become our 'common house' for shared meals and social activities. Land would be managed with consideration for its role in the local ecosystem.… Show more

Our household was one of seven founding partners in this initiative to redevelop a manor house and grounds in Forest Hill, South London as a cohousing community.

The aim was to create a sustainable, affordable and communal way of living in our area that is owned and managed by residents. And to have more fun!

A former gym building was to become our 'common house' for shared meals and social activities. Land would be managed with consideration for its role in the local ecosystem. The lovely garden and mature trees were to be preserved from building and enjoyed by all our households, and on occasions the wider community. Those trees that must be felled would stay on site partly as habitat and in part to be milled for timber to furnish our homes.

This project is informed by our roles in Hackney Cohousing Project from 2010-2014. Show less

This creative collaboration with artist/design collective, Something & Son gave our team the opportunity to co-design and make 45 stools for the gardens at Tate Britain. These provide seating for community events at the 2018 'A Common Ground' installation.
Trainees were involved in design, technical drawing, prototype and batch production at Makerversity's well equipped workshops in Somerset House. Expert guidance throughout was provided by volunteer carpenter/joiner Laurence Evans.
… Show more

This creative collaboration with artist/design collective, Something & Son gave our team the opportunity to co-design and make 45 stools for the gardens at Tate Britain. These provide seating for community events at the 2018 'A Common Ground' installation.
Trainees were involved in design, technical drawing, prototype and batch production at Makerversity's well equipped workshops in Somerset House. Expert guidance throughout was provided by volunteer carpenter/joiner Laurence Evans.

https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain/common-ground Show less

Creative agency Zetteler connected us with brilliant artist and maker Yinka Ilori for this exciting collaboration which surpassed all our expectations.
One fruitful discussion with Yinka and Sabine Zetteler outlined a simple plan for an exhibition: ten donated chairs would be restyled by Restoration Station trainees in workshops led by Yinka.
Team Zetteler organised a fantastic launch event and promotional campaign on social media and in the press. This became a celebrated fixture in the… Show more

Creative agency Zetteler connected us with brilliant artist and maker Yinka Ilori for this exciting collaboration which surpassed all our expectations.
One fruitful discussion with Yinka and Sabine Zetteler outlined a simple plan for an exhibition: ten donated chairs would be restyled by Restoration Station trainees in workshops led by Yinka.
Team Zetteler organised a fantastic launch event and promotional campaign on social media and in the press. This became a celebrated fixture in the London Design Festival, selected by Vogue for their highlights and the subject of a feature article by Creative Review.
To top it all, Spitalfields Crypt Trust hosted a visit from HRH Prince William during the exhibition. The future King was complimentary about the exhibition and enthusiastic about Restoration Station as a whole, taking home three carved wooden owls as gifts for his children.
The chairs were auctioned online raising over £2500, all of which went to Restoration Station as both Yinka and the Zetteler team waived any income or recompense for expenses on the project.
I am delighted at the satisfaction our trainees gained from this project, the profile our workshop has gained and the relationships built with such outstanding individuals in our local creative community. Huge thanks to all the people who gave their time and energy to make this project such a success. Show less