PTE helped pioneer 'community architecture' in the 1970s, and understanding what people want from their homes and neighbourhoods remains intrinsic to its approach. With the rise of localism and mass digital communication, local influence over development has become the norm. The challenge used to be helping people find a voice; today it is about managing multiple voices and reaching a consensus - without confusing consultation with design-by-committee. At Priory Road in West Hampstead (pictured), PTE replaced a dilapidated 1970s block with 56 new affordable flats and houses. They met with residents throughout the design and construction process to discuss everything from layout of individual homes to management of the shared garden, and to help people prepare for the move. After completion, PTE visited people in their new homes to find out how they were getting on and made a film about it, featured in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, in which one resident said: 'We can't believe it - we feel like we're on holiday and squatting in someone else's house!'
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