Has the practice of architecture evolved to be increasingly detached from the architects themselves? With the conventional discipline unfolding largely on two-dimensional screens and sheets, the makers’ only links to the built reality exist solely through either their communication with the builders or site visits—both of which are sporadic. Meanwhile, the urban skylines expand as iterations of the same standardised models, with ‘monumental’ projects catering to the capitalist gaze. As ‘AI architecture’ emerges as an abstract offshoot of an intrinsically tangible subject, this rift between the creator, the creation and reality deepens further.

In pursuit of foregrounding the fundamentals of creation—active collaboration, discussion and hands-on experimentation—in his practice, British architect Owen Hughes Pearce established PEARCE+ in 2019. The UK-based studio operates at the intersection of architecture, land art, and collective making, with its oeuvre spanning ventures in designing, teaching and participation. The ‘+’ in the studio’s name alludes to the many partners who help realise the studio’s projects. Strategically curated teams of architects, makers and engineers work in alignment with the studio's creative principles, conceiving installations, structures and built environments that challenge standard processes and conventional thinking, and reimagine community involvement in building.

The most effective methods emerge through collective discussion, adaptability and openness, rather than following standardised procedures. – Owen Hughes Pearce

From a restaurant design in the icy Arctic, a woodman’s shelter nestled in the middle of a forest, or a communal hub welcoming individuals experiencing homelessness in rural areas, each project, irrespective of its typology, attests to a singular mission: of creating spaces that catalyse conversations, stir imagination and foster connection. In a conversation with STIR, Pearce reflects on the journey of his experimental studio—its inception, tenets, vocations and future plans. The discussion explores what design can (and should) stand for in contemporary times, what ‘good’ architecture demands and what it means for our environments to be hopeful and grounded.

Anushka Sharma: What catalysed the founding of PEARCE+? Was there something particular that shaped its formation into a studio practising what one might state is a kind of unconventional architecture?

Owen Hughes Pearce: The practice was founded out of disillusionment with the conventional role of the architect as a desk-bound draughtsperson issuing instructions to builders. I looked ahead at architects of my age running projects on-site and thought: I do not want to do that. PEARCE+ was created to blend interests in architecture, furniture-making, hands-on collaborative building, set design and rural environments, and to provide greater flexibility to pursue smaller, non-financially driven projects.

The structure of the practice allows for an agile and adaptive way of working. We regularly review and evolve our approach based on the current project, collaborators and the changing aspirations of the team. The ‘+’ signifies our commitment to collaboration. We work with other micro-companies and sole traders to form project teams, offering a mix of expertise, flexibility and camaraderie.

We are constant explorers, driven more by curiosity, excitement and a desire to create meaningful change than by financial reward. – Owen Hughes Pearce

Anushka: How would you define your approach to multidisciplinary work? Would you say architecture is better placed to embody the other parts of your work?

Owen: We try not to define a fixed approach. We are deeply interested in constructing our own designs and in involving people of all skill levels in the process. But ultimately, it is the people, local resources and the natural context that shape the approach each time. The most effective methods emerge through collective discussion, adaptability and openness, rather than following standardised procedures.

Anushka: Can you walk us through your design process, from first conversations to final realisations? How do you collaborate with clients and communities along the way?

Owen: It varies from project to project. Recently, we have taken a more embedded approach—relocating as a project team to the site itself. For example, we spent 12 months living and working in Watchet while building the accommodation pods at East Quay for Onion Collective. This allowed both formal and informal conversations with the community, fostering camaraderie and trust. It also created space for dialogue that might not have happened in a conventional process, and enabled us to develop a richer understanding of the place.

Because we often both design and build, we are able to respond in real-time to new ideas, making changes where they improve the scheme, without getting bogged down in contractual red tape. We usually begin by mapping human and material resources—identifying who is available and wants to contribute and what can be reused. We applied this same approach in a recent project: a wildlife tower for the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Anushka: Your recent work at RAW:almond 25 is a pop-up restaurant created with significant limitations, including time and low temperatures, among others. What were the ambitions behind it, and what did you learn in the process?

Owen: PEARCE+ was invited by the RAW:almond team in 2023 following a chance meeting during a lecture at the University of Manitoba, where I spoke about our work with inflatable structures and the Building a Martian House project.

RAW:almond is a unique project—every winter, a pop-up restaurant is built in about 10 days on a frozen river in Canada, serving 2,000 diners over 21 days. The aim is to reuse and rent materials wherever possible. Our idea of using inflatables aligned well with their ethos. We designed a system suited to extreme conditions that could be deflated, stored and repurposed in future iterations while also providing the distinct architectural experience diners expect.

In 2024, we used rented steel rebars to create a lightweight diagrid structure—almost all of which was returned afterwards. For the 2025 iteration, we reused inflatable panels and timber from previous years for most of the frame. These highly ambitious projects are built in brutally cold conditions (down to -47°C with wind chill) and aim to test novel construction methods and ideas that could be further developed. They keep things exciting and evolving.

Anushka: Would you say this sense of ‘scarcity’ or operating within constraints has lent a definitive identity to your practice?

Owen: Scarcity is not the defining feature, but it certainly plays a major role in how we work. A reduced palette presents creative challenges we actively embrace. We are constant explorers, driven more by curiosity, excitement and a desire to create meaningful change than by financial reward. By designing and building ourselves, even with limited resources, we often achieve more than what's possible through more conventional processes.

For projects we build ourselves, the sweet spot tends to be around six weeks on site. That is long enough to engage deeply with the process, but short enough to avoid fatigue or routine. – Owen Hughes Pearce

Anushka: In a time when architectural practice must respond to social, ecological and political urgencies, how does PEARCE+ approach social responsibility?

Owen: Architects do not work in a vacuum—we do not commission our own projects. Everything we do depends on collaboration, and we are selective about who we work with. We prioritise projects that are fun, socially impactful, environmentally conscious or globally relevant. I choose to work only with social enterprises, charities and organisations that promote community values, challenge capitalist models, embrace localism, use available on-site materials or help push technological boundaries for broader environmental benefit.

Anushka: Visually speaking, there is also a certain sense of impermanence, a frugality in the way your structures are ‘assembled’ from existing components, as opposed to, say, cast from the ground up. Is that something that tends to define your body of work?

Owen: For projects we build ourselves, the sweet spot tends to be around six weeks on site. That is long enough to engage deeply with the process, but short enough to avoid fatigue or routine. This naturally limits the scale of work we take on. Some projects, like the RAW:almond buildings, are intentionally temporary, while others are meticulously crafted to stand the test of time. For example, our green woodworking shelter at Westonbirt Arboretum used a unique green oak construction method, which has a 25-year lifespan at least. The Rural Roaming Room, developed with the University of Cambridge, used steam-bent and laminated ash memory-loom structures to gather stories and materials across North Wales. Steam bending is more typically used in high-quality furniture design.

Anushka: What role does experimentation in materials, technologies, spatial principles or concepts play in the projects by PEARCE+?

Owen: It is everything; experimentation is central to what we do. Our evolving process encourages us to test and try new approaches. Materials, technologies and spatial strategies grow organically from our early mapping of people, context and location. We are not trying to become specialists in any one typology—we want to take risks and keep learning.

Anushka: Is there a recurring theme or intention that connects your diverse body of work?

Owen: We have developed a set of guiding principles:

• Architecture must be allied to the earth and connected to nature, not imposed upon it.
• Making is an exploratory process for learning and betterment, not a task to be outsourced.
• Collaboration is the foundation of enjoyment and progress, not a box-ticking exercise.
• Design is a behaviour and a commitment, not simply a body of knowledge.
• We research through building, making and testing.

Anushka: What is next for PEARCE+?

Owen: We have been inspired by our recent work on a wildlife tower for the Somerset Wildlife Trust and want to continue exploring more-than-human projects. We are particularly interested in developing a series of wildlife infrastructure initiatives—especially in the context of biodiversity collapse and the worrying rollback of environmental protections by governments. We have also just been appointed to design and build a greenwood playscape at Westonbirt Arboretum.