The starting point of this project was the creation of a separation recording device to compare a walk through a reedbed with a walk along a concrete path in Rainham Marsh. Ideas of first-handedness and the dissolution of a forced mediation between subject and environment were carried into the design of Reedhouse.

The fundamental design idea of this project was to design a well-crafted and open-ended framework of a building that calls for completion by the occupant. In Rainham Marsh, reeds are abundant and even invasive. The use of reeds as roofing and cladding introduces a cyclical character to the structure which calls for continuous reconstruction according to need.

The building houses a workshop for exploring material and vernacular techniques and solutions. The ambition was to create a building that is activated by occupation and which can be continuously justified and reappropriated by its occupation. This constant validation of the structure seeks to ensure the building remains purposeful, enriching the experience of occupants by acting as more of an operable, outward-looking tool than an envelope.