This year’s Elliott Wood Summer Social took us to the WWT Wetland Centre in Barnes. A refreshing change of pace and scenery that brought our entire team together to explore regenerative design principles.
As part of our ongoing internal Regenerative Design Competition, the day provided an opportunity to reconnect with nature, one another, and our purpose. Guided by Reserve Manager Adam Salmon, we learned more about the rich wetland habitat and how the centre is leading the way in ecological preservation.
Stepping outside the studio for a day of regenerative thinking
Reframing the way we think
The day also included a series of thought-provoking workshops led by Bryony Benn, Megan Greig and Ian Poole.
One session, A Good Ancestor, inspired by Roman Krznaric’s book of the same name, encouraged us to confront the long-term challenges of our age and our legacy for future generations. Another challenged us to shed the constraints of "why we can't”, to embrace regenerative thinking with blue-sky thinking.
It was an opportunity to log off and reframe our thinking. These sessions encouraged creative, cross-disciplinary conversations that moved beyond technical delivery and into the broader impact of our work.
To round off the day, we headed to a local garden pub for a relaxed evening in the sun – an opportunity to unwind and connect with our team.
Regenerative Design Crit
Over the past two months, teams across Elliott Wood have been diving into our internal Regenerative Design Competition, responding to a bespoke brief for a new visitor’s centre at RSPB Titchwell Marsh in Norfolk.
We’ll be opening our studio on Wednesday 23rd July to showcase the entries and reflect on our learnings so far. There will be no formal presentations, no expert panels – just some learnings and the output of our team trying to do things differently and shift our thinking from sustainable to regenerative.
Whether you’re just starting your journey into regenerative design or looking to see how others are addressing it in practice, we’d love to have you join us.
