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Collaborative Project

As part of a collaborative brief by Lendlease, our team was tasked with — Looking at the diversity of local organizations in Stratford, if bespoke collaboration took place, what unique products and services could be developed—and in what sector?

The Brief

Discovery & Research

💡Emerging Insight:

There’s a deep desire among locals for accessible innovation spaces, collaborative networks, and trust-building platforms that prioritize their voices.

Ideation

🔄 Reverse Brainstorming

How do we make Stratford more gentrified?

Build homogenous expensive buildings
Drive out local business
Curb innovation
Destroy local biodiversity
Exploit local labour

Blue Sky Thinking

This project presents Lendlease with a unique opportunity to build strong connections within the Stratford community, grow innovation networks, and gain financial returns. The core benefits include:

Enhanced public relations as drivers of change through visible community-building efforts.
Gain of knowledge and intellectual property from local innovation ideas
Growth of stakeholder networks and innovation opportunities
Valuable fulfillment of 10% affordable housing requirements
Paid exhibitions and up-skill services

The Seed & Lendlease’s Vision

How do we make Stratford less gentrified?

Build vibrant community centers
Foster local business and innovation
Nurture local biodiversity
Provide just employment opportunities

The team engaged in a brief five minute exercise where each member individually jotted down their visions for the space/ services on post its notes, considering the identified gaps.

We then grouped similar points into relevant sections to distill the key takeaways. Following this, we experimented with combining different sectors to identify a unique niche.

The Solution

How will we achieve this?

Innovation Clusters for SEED

The SEED Initiative

Stratford’s Enhanced Economic Development

We are establishing a vibrant community centre dedicated to fostering innovation through collaborative efforts with local partnerships, utilising participatory design and co-creation methods.

Our goal is to create an inclusive, safe haven where the voices of Stratford's locals are heard and valued. We aim to:

Foster a space where every local feels comfortable expressing their ideas.
Drive community engagement and provide a platform that nurtures the growth of small innovation businesses with a sustainability focus in Stratford.
Encourage participation from locals of all backgrounds and ethnicities in the co-design of innovative solutions.

Our space will feature open and welcoming architecture, inspired by biophilic design, to enhance Stratford's biodiversity and offer a safe, comfortable environment. Lendlease will act as a venture capitalist, building resources and pooling investments for local initiatives and businesses This centre will serve as a co-working and co-hosting space, hosting various events, workshops, and classes to promote and up-skill artists and businesses across all ethnicities.

The Strategy

By engaging a supportive environment for local businesses and creatives within the arts and cultural realm, Lendlease can serve as a catalyst, facilitating networking opportunities, providing investment avenues, into curating dynamic spaces that promote co-creation and collaboration, by actively engaging in collaborative endeavours, and partnering with organisations such as SHIFT, and similar institutions.

Lendlease's role would be to amplify these existing community voices, nurturing an ecosystem where innovative expression and entrepreneurial ventures can thrive, fostering an environment of collective growth.