Business Details
13 Years
experience
Child-Friendly Architecture & Urban Design Experts
ZCD Architects is a pioneering practice specialising in people-centred city-making, architecture, and development. Our approach combines rigorous research with direct community engagement, ensuring designs are inclusive, sustainable, and tailored to local needs. Founded in 2013, we have established ourselves as leaders in child-friendly design and youth engagement, informed by over a decade of practical experience and academic study. Our team employs evidence-based methodologies, including observational research and participatory workshops, to create spaces that foster social interaction and long-term community well-being. We collaborate with investors, developers, and policymakers to embed inclusive practices that maximise social value and deliver measurable outcomes. Our work spans urban masterplanning, housing design, and public realm projects, with a focus on creating environments that prioritise accessibility and play.Recognised through multiple industry awards, we combine technical expertise with a commitment to ethical design, ensuring our projects meet the highest standards of functionality and human-centricity. We provide training and facilitation services to enhance organisational capacity in inclusive engagement, sharing our proprietary tools and frameworks. Our research outputs, including the acclaimed publication 'All to Play For', influence national policy and professional practice. With a proven track record in complex urban regeneration schemes, we deliver innovative solutions that balance commercial viability with social impact.
Services
Child-friendly housing design
Community engagement strategy
Urban masterplanning
Public realm design
Inclusive design consultancy
Youth participation programmes
Research-led architecture
Policy advisory services
Design training workshops
Urban regeneration projects
Details
- Year established: 2013
Highlights and features
- We pioneered child-friendly design principles adopted in national policy frameworks
- Our team holds 11 years of practical experience in inclusive urban regeneration
- We developed the Voice Opportunity Power engagement toolkit used nationwide
- Award-winning practice with 25+ community engagement projects completed
- We provide evidence-based training to enhance organisational engagement practices
What people say
Most impactful engagement process
Inclusive design excellence
Award-winning methodology
Research-informed practice
Policy influence
Services
Child-friendly housing design
Our child-centred housing designs create safe, accessible environments that benefit all residents. We apply four core principles: car-free zones, direct dwelling access, overlooked spaces, and interconnected play areas. Through participatory workshops with young people, we develop layouts that promote independent mobility and social interaction while meeting regulatory standards.
Community engagement strategy
We design tailored engagement programmes that empower local voices in urban development. Using our Voice Opportunity Power toolkit, we facilitate workshops, observational research, and intergenerational panels to ensure inclusive decision-making. Our methods have been adopted in major regeneration projects like Earls Court.
Urban masterplanning
Our masterplanning integrates social value with commercial viability through evidence-based design. We specialise in transforming complex sites using participatory mapping and needs assessments. Recent projects include the Aberfeldy Estate regeneration and Chingford Mount feasibility studies, demonstrating our commitment to long-term urban sustainability.
Public realm design
We create inclusive public spaces that foster community interaction and accessibility. Our designs prioritise play opportunities, universal access, and environmental sustainability. Notable projects include London's Biggest Play Street and the Earls Court Public Realm Inclusivity Panel initiative.
Inclusive design consultancy
We advise developers and policymakers on creating universally accessible environments. Our consultancy combines academic research with practical implementation frameworks. We developed the Family Voices Toolkit for the Van Leer Foundation and provide training on inclusive engagement practices.
People
Dinah Bornat
Director
Co-founder and director of ZCD Architects, Dinah leads child-friendly design initiatives and community engagement programmes. With over 15 years' experience in urban design, she authored 'All to Play For' and advises policymakers on inclusive planning. Her work has won multiple industry awards.
Rallou Grigoropoulou
Architect
Architectural lead on urban regeneration projects, Rallou specialises in participatory design processes. She manages community engagement for major developments and contributes to research publications. Her expertise in translating community needs into design solutions has delivered award-winning projects across London.
Nick Honey
Urban Designer
Urban designer with expertise in mapping and spatial analysis, Nick develops tools for assessing child-friendly environments. He leads observational research programmes and contributes to policy development. His analytical frameworks underpin many of the practice's evidence-based design solutions.
Questions
What makes your architecture practice unique?
We combine child-friendly design principles with rigorous community engagement, creating spaces that benefit all generations through participatory processes and evidence-based research.
How do you involve communities in design?
We use our Voice Opportunity Power toolkit, conducting workshops, observational studies, and intergenerational panels to ensure inclusive decision-making throughout the design process.
What areas do you specialise in?
We focus on urban masterplanning, housing design, and public realm projects that prioritise accessibility, play, and long-term community well-being through inclusive design.
Can you help with policy development?
Yes, we provide expert advisory services on child-friendly urban design policies, having contributed to national inquiries and developed frameworks adopted by local authorities.
Do you offer training programmes?
We deliver bespoke training on inclusive engagement practices, sharing our proprietary tools and methodologies to enhance organisational capacity in community participation.
What recognition have you received?
We've won multiple awards including The Pineapple Community Engagement Award and The Planner Women of Influence recognition for our innovative urban design approaches.
