What Makes Brownfield Sites Unique? Across the UK’s cities, thousands of small, disused plots sit idle: the remnants of former garages, workshops, and scrap yards. These brownfield sites, often dismissed as too constrained or contaminated for development, represent an untapped opportunity. Yet within these limits lies enormous potential. When approached with imagination and technical rigour, they can become prototypes for compact, sustainable urban living. Projects on brownfield sites are unique in their demand for a precise balance between innovation, practicality, and sustainability; ultimately, every square metre counts. And the result can be one of the most rewarding in contemporary housing design. Our project, Eva’s House , completed in 2005, offers a compelling example. Built on the footprint of two derelict garages in Southeast London, this modest three-storey home demonstrates how a forgotten plot can be transformed into a durable, adaptable dwelling that continues to perform nearly two decades later.

Architectural Trip Venice Biennale RDA Architects