Studio Folk named winners of the Seeds in the City Barbican Design Competition
‘The Veggery’ by Studio Folk
The London Festival of Architecture, powered by NLA, alongside Culture Mile Business Improvement District, has announced Studio Folk, in collaboration with RASKL, as the winners of the Seeds in the City design competition. From more than 50 submissions, Studio Folk Architects and RASKL were selected by a panel of industry experts for their proposal, The Veggery.
The competition invited emerging architects, designers, landscape architects and artists to submit proposals for a pavilion located within the Barbican Estate, outside St Giles Cripplegate Church and adjacent to the City of London Girls School (CLGS). The intervention will form part of this year’s London Festival of Architecture, centred around the theme of Belonging, and will host a programme of talks, workshops and educational activities focused on food growing, sustainability, climate change and community wellbeing.
According to the London Festival of Architecture, the winning design was selected for its thoughtful relationship with the site and sensitive understanding of the surrounding context, offering both an extension of the school’s programme and an intimate setting for community events. The proposal creates a visual dialogue between domestic garden ‘architecture’ and the iconic architectural language of the Barbican Estate, while expressing themes of sustainability and community through colour and ornament.
The project builds on CLSG’s self-initiated urban farm, piloted this year with students and staff and supported by St Giles Cripplegate Church and the City of London Corporation. The selected design will further develop the school’s growing programme by creating a space where students, local residents and visitors can explore the theme of Belonging through the lens of urban greening, learning and collaboration.
The competition forms part of Culture Mile BID’s wider greening programme, delivered through its Public Realm Vision & Strategy. The initiative works with local community groups, educational and cultural institutions, and businesses to enhance existing infrastructure, support biodiversity, and create new amenity and dwell spaces across the Square Mile.
Patrick O’Keeffe from Studio Folk said:
“We’re delighted to have been selected for the competition. You spend so long imagining these projects that you inevitably become attached to them, so it’s incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to see this one realised. We’re especially pleased to have been chosen by Culture Mile BID and LFA from such a strong shortlist of teams.”
“We hope the installation becomes a space that the school and local residents genuinely enjoy and feel connected to. As a greenhouse, event space and sheltered seating area, it’s trying to do a lot of things, and we hope everyone can find something meaningful in it. Fostering a sense of shared ownership is especially important to us, particularly through the partnerships with the adjacent girls’ school, church communities and local resident groups.”
The proposed pavilion will provide sheltered space for learning and collaboration, and will act as a prototype for a future permanent community hub, facilitating learning and growth for students and the local community.
‘The Veggery’ by Studio Folk
Andrew Smith, Chair of Culture Mile BID said:
“‘Seeds in the City’ is a brilliant example of how creative placemaking and urban greening can come together to transform spaces in meaningful and lasting ways. Through our Public Realm Vision & Strategy, Culture Mile BID is committed to creating a greener, more welcoming and more connected City — and this project captures that ambition perfectly.
We’re delighted to be partnering with the London Festival of Architecture to support emerging creative talent while delivering something that will genuinely benefit the local community, students, workers and visitors alike. The Veggery reflects the spirit of the Culture Mile — where the past meets progress to spark new cultural moments.”
Rosa Rogina, Associate Director of Place Partnerships at NLA said:
“We’re thrilled that The Veggery will be forming a part of this year’s Festival of Architecture. The design from Studio Folk and RASKL perfectly aligns with the sustainability goals of this competition to enact a meaningful change through education and awareness. Being delivered in such an iconic location will stand to further the message of this design, and we’re excited to see the lasting impact this design will have across the CLGS’ students into the future”.
The team will now work with key partners and the local community to deliver the project ahead of installation this summer, subject to planning approvals, before becoming part of LFA’s programme within the City of London, a Festival neighbourhood for 2026.
