Chapman Taylor shortlisted for Dezeen Magazine's 'Shaping Water' design competition for London's Clerkenwell Design Week

Chapman Taylor is proud to announce that our concept ‘Water Tales’ has been shortlisted for Dezeen magazine’s prestigious Shaping Water Competition, held in collaboration with Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard for London's Clerkenwell Design Week 2025.

The competition challenged architects and designers to create a large-scale public installation that captures the essence of water—its beauty, symbolism, and impact on well-being—within the iconic St John’s Gate in Clerkenwell, London. Entrants were tasked with interpreting water’s aesthetic and functional qualities in bold, innovative ways, using any material and mindful of environmental sustainability.

Chapman Taylor’s shortlisted entry, Water Tales, takes visitors on a powerful narrative journey through contrasting experiences of water scarcity and abundance. The immersive design begins with an evocative empty space symbolising the absence of water, then transitions into a lush, forest-like zone celebrating water's restorative and emotional power. Constructed from cardboard tubes and translucent tree-sapling protectors, the installation is designed for reuse and sustainability. The first volume is stark and minimal, while the second is alive with trailing plants, light-filtering cut-outs, and a humid atmosphere that invites visitors to slow down and reflect.

The concept was developed by Chapman Taylor architects Rekha Barry-Houston and Szymon Milczarek, and Architectural Assistant Maria Trif.

The winning installation will be built over three days—17 to 19 May 2025—and unveiled to the public during Clerkenwell Design Week on 20–22 May.

Chapman Taylor’s Water Tales offers a compelling, environmentally conscious interpretation of the competition brief, celebrating water not only as a vital resource but as a medium for storytelling, wellbeing, and public engagement.

Rekha Barry-Houston (BA(Hons) DipArch ARB )

Architect, UK

Rekha is an experienced, design-focused architect and has led several award-winning projects in Scotland. In 2022, she was shortlisted for Young Scottish Architect of the Year, before moving back to her hometown of Liverpool in 2024, when she joined Chapman Taylor’s Manchester Studio.

Rekha enjoys working collaboratively with clients to develop a project vision, with particular experience of mixed-use masterplanning and residential design. She fully embraces Chapman Taylor’s design culture and has actively led internal design charrettes and competitions.

Areas of expertise:

Masterplanning / Mixed-Use / Residential

Szymon Milczarek (BA(Hons) MArch ARB)

Architect, UK

Szymon joined the Manchester studio in 2021 after completing his Master of Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture. Since then, he has successfully completed his Part III qualification in Professional Practice in Architecture and is now a qualified Architect.

He has experience working across all project stages on a diverse range of schemes, including masterplanning, large-scale residential developments, and retail projects.

Szymon also leads the Sustainability Collective, an R&D initiative to promote research into Sustainable design and best practice. His research focuses on sustainable strategies for the transformation and adaptive re-use of existing buildings to create sustainable developments across a range of sectors.

Areas of Expertise:

Masterplanning / Residential / Retail / Sustainability

Maria Trif (BA(Hons) Architecture)

Architectural Assistant

Maria joined Chapman Taylor in 2023 as an Architectural Assistant (Part I), after successfully completing a BA (Hons) in Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture. Since then, she has gained valuable experience on a range of projects, including large-scale residential projects in London.

She is also an active contributor to the Sustainability Collective, where she explores the relationship between water and wellbeing in urban environments.

Maria plans to continue her architectural education by beginning her Master of Architecture course later this year, as part of her journey to becoming a qualified architect.

Areas of Expertise:

Residential / Sustainability

caret-down-skewed caret-down-thin caret-down caret-left-thick caret-left-white caret-left caret-right-thick caret-right-white caret-right caret-up chinese cross download english facebook grid instagram linked-in list mail map pinterest play-button reset search-nobg search-square share twitter views wechat youtube