This summer, I’m in Bristol, England, working with WeCanMake, a neighborhood-based housing initiative and community land trust in Knowle West. The organization focuses on creating affordable, dignified homes through small and microsite interventions—what they call “neighborhood test spaces.” I’ve joined a close-knit team working at the intersection of planning, design, and community organizing, supporting residents and local coalitions in imagining and activating new housing possibilities.
The work connects closely with my research last summer in Queens, NYC, where I explored GIS and mobility through mapping and archival research. But here, the approach is more participatory. I’ve shifted to hands-on, field-based work: walking sites, participating in workshops, strategizing for community engagement, and contributing to urban planning proposals. I’m still engaging with community members—but now through co-creation.
One aspect that’s been especially exciting to explore is retrofit. Unlike in many U.S. contexts I’ve studied, where new construction often dominates housing conversations, WeCanMake prioritizes retrofitting existing spaces to meet community needs. It’s an approach that feels practical, sustainable, and deeply rooted in place. Another striking difference is the organization’s commitment to continuous co-design. Every step is shaped with and by the community. There’s a strong emphasis on collective authorship that feels rare and powerful.
The photo I’ve included shows the “Rodford Dreams” sign—a nickname for Rodfords Mead, part of a mobile installation I’m helping activate this summer. The newly envisioned community space will have three floors: a communal area and two flats. The goal is to dream bigger than what’s been imagined for the small site, which has struggled with fly-tipping (illegal dumping). This area currently lacks a community space and borders on being classified as a food desert, rather than a hub for regeneration and play.
What I’ve found most rewarding is the depth of relationship and reciprocity. WeCanMake "unlocks" spaces for building systems and trust beyond the 33,000 homes they've calculated can be built to tackle the England housing crisis using their innovative approach. Thus, being part of this process so far has been meaningful.
I am a junior at Columbia University, majoring in Urban Studies with a specialization in Public Health, and a 2024 Laidlaw Scholar. My first summer research was with the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation and Planning Mapping Historical New York Initiative. I digitized historical maps and census data, contributing to a digital atlas of early New York settlements, focusing on Queens and the Bronx. For my second summer, I worked with WeCanMake, a community land trust, on a mixed-use housing microsite in the UK.
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Wow Laila! This sounds like a fantastic LiA opportunity, I particularly resonated with your emphasis on "collective authorship," the power of dreaming, and "reciprocity." As I am also in the UK, I have also noticed how wealth disparities and housing insecurity have continued to shape these regions, especially in more urban centers such as Bristol. The work you are doing is certainly impactful, and I look forward to what you do next!