AJ Climate Champions podcast: IF

IF_DO founder Sarah Castle explains that community engagement is not just asking people what they want but also what they can do

‘It’s about giving people the power to change their environments and making them feel part of it,’ Castle explains in this episode. It’s an approach that is at the heart of IF_DO’s work and is manifest in its work in Hastings, East Sussex, where it has transformed derelict buildings into affordable, community-centric spaces for social enterprise Hasting Commons.

We discuss the refurbishment of the grand 1924 Observer Building, which had suffered more than three decades of neglect and a dozen owners when IF_DO took on the project. The first phase created a cultural venue with spaces for exhibitions, theatre and music as well as workspace, a café and a gym. ‘It’s a space that can hold everything – from raves to weddings,’ says Castle.

IF_Do’s approach prioritises ‘essential improvements over cosmetic enhancements’, she explains. Rather than allowing ourselves to get ‘overexcited about tile colours’, we have to focus on making the building ‘robust, well insulated and easy to look after’. The building’s intricately detailed faience façade has been upgraded through a careful balance of repair and renewal.

Central to IF_DO’s work is an understanding of procurement that is driven by available grant funding, which Castle terms ‘pod’ – phased organic development. Hastings Commons has secured more than 100 grants over the last decade. The Observer Building is owned as a community land trust, which provides a legal framework to ensure affordability and perpetuity. ‘This creates protected spaces within a sphere of gentrification, where rents are controlled below market rates’, Castle explains. ‘It’s about forever,’ she says.

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About Sarah Castle

Sarah Castle is an architect and founding director of 18-strong practice IF_DO, established in 2014. Collaboration and engagement are central to its work, which is comprised primarily of community projects.

Previously she worked in New York and Paris at Lina Ghotmeh Architects (then Dorrel.Ghotmeh.Tane) where she was project leader for the National Museum of Estonia. She is a member of the Places Matter North West design review panel and has taught at the London School of Architecture and Manchester School of Architecture.

Castle is passionate about making architecture a more diverse and equal profession. She is creative director of Part W and a chapter leader of Urbanistas. She trained at the University of Edinburgh.