At first glance, the Wolves Lane Centre may appear to be just another urban community garden. But its newly completed cutting edge buildings, constructed from straw bales, clay and reclaimed materials, almost all sourced within 35 miles of the Wood Green site, signal a different kind of ambition. Designed by Studio Gil and Material Cultures, the first phase of this pioneering redevelopment brings together natural building techniques, a hyper local supply chain, and a deep commitment to community participation.

Set within a three acre site in Wood Green, the project reimagines how architecture can respond to the climate crisis, social inequality and the failures of conventional procurement. It is a place where sustainability means more than just carbon savings, and where design is as much about reshaping power structures as it is about form or function.

BD visited the site to see the buildings and speak to the team about what it takes to do things differently, from sourcing local clay and straw to challenging norms around who gets to build, design and benefit from architecture.