Architectural Education as a Situated Practice
30 June 2026
RC/YYC took part in the London School of Architecture’s Architectural Education as a Situated Practice symposium, held on 27th June as part of this year’s London Festival of Architecture.
The Festival’s theme of Belonging inspired the question of how an architecture school might belong within its surrounding context and how this relationship might inform the education it offers.
Roy and Ya Ya discussed their involvement in live build projects through leading the London School of Architecture’s Access and Outreach initiative, Part 0, as well as the role of education on the Woodberry Down Design Studio project.
RC/YYC were included amongst guest speakers: Lee Ivett, Head of School at the London School of Architecture; David McEwan, founder of Unit 38; Takeshi Hayatsu, Senior Lecturer at Kingston and founder of Hayatsu Architects; Matt Springett and Fiona MacDonald, founders of Matt+Fiona; and Maria Wood, Part 2 Architectural Assistant at Faulkner Browns.
Presentations were followed by conversations amongst attendees around specific themes explored in the presentations as well as tours of the Little Free Library led by LSA Part 2 students who helped design and build the structure with RC/YYC.
Photography Ana-Maria Molnar
People Make Places: Protecting Community Use in London
17 June 2026
On June 10th 2026 RC/YYC brought together a range of built environment professionals and Hackney-based community groups to discuss the value of protecting community spaces in the context of continued development.
Presenters included: dRMM architects Director, Judith Stichtenoth; LB Hackney Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Inclusive Neighbourhoods, Alastair Binne-Lubbock; Max Fordham Principal Engineer, David Montgomery ; Rising Tide Trust CEO, Jermain Jackman; Simple Works and Scale Rule co-founder, Sinead Conneely; and V22 CEO, Eran Zucker.
Following presentations, participants discussed themes in groups led by our speakers and illustrated their conversations.
Thank you to everyone who took part!
Photography Ana-Maria Molnar
Ya Ya Chen awarded 2025 Young Talent award at Inspire Future Generations event
18 January 2026
We are pleased to announce that Ya Ya Chen, co-founder of RC/YYC, has won the Young Talent Award at the Inspire Future Generations Awards 2025.
The judging panel recognised Ya Ya’s commitment to long-term, strategic youth engagement through RC/YYC’s projects, as well as her work improving access to architecture as Part 0 Lead at the London School of Architecture. They described her as “an exceptional individual whose impact on young people is helping them gain confidence and access opportunities.”
Ya Ya said: “It’s a real privilege to be acknowledged by such a fantastic panel of judges for work that supports a more equitable built environment through RC/YYC and improves access to built environment professions through LSA’s Part 0 programmes.”
Woodberry Down Pavilion Shortlisted!
01 December 2025
The Woodberry Down Pavilion has been shortlisted at the 2026 Inspire Future Generations awards in the Community Engagement category!
As part of the project, RC/YYC worked with twelve young Woodberry Down residents through a series of up-skilling workshops to design and build the Woodberry Down pavilion.
The pavilion was opened by the Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley on 13th September 2025 and hosted ten outdoor workshops for young residents aged 6 and above.
The pavilion is the first project of the Woodberry Down Design Studio, a collaboration between RC/YYC, LB Hackney, Notting Hill Genesis and Berkeley Group.
Photography Ernest Simons
