Real Junk Food

Wakefield (UK) 2019

Leeds Beckett University, UK

Graham Davey contacted the charity The Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP) as part of the Design Studio module in the second year of his postgraduate studies. TRJFP is an organic global network commended for saving 5000 tonnes of food to date. Their Wakefield headquarters is called Kindness Sharehouse – a social supermarket stocked only with intercepted food. This is a self-generated Live Project by student Graham Davey. During this time, he managed the project, co-designing new installations including reception, food preparation and storage areas with the client, and led the construction team.

External Collaborator: The Real Junk Food Project; Adam Smith. Volunteers; Lydia Burhold, Darren Instone, Maggie Pearce, Alyson Pool, Beth Pownall, Elaine Ripley, Nikki Siddall, Lara Vassallo & Rachel Williams.

Tutor (Architecture): Simon Warren.
Workshop: Neil Masterman.

Student (Architecture): Project Manager (MArch2) Graham Davey.

Tutor (Graphic Design): Andrew Du Feu.

Students (Graphic Design): Katy Gittins, Sophie Maxwell, Ella Metcalfe, Sonia Podolska, Stephen Sammut, Danielle Simpson, Curt Walls & Megan Woodward.

Other facilitators. Suppliers and Contractors: Ace Containers Leeds; Ria Spencer, Dave Pettigrew & Sean Birdsall. Wilmott Dixon; Georgina Allison. Biohm; Oksana Bondar.
Funding: Crowdfunding donations, Simon Deverell & Elim Community Church Wakefield.
Eco brick production: North Featherstone Junior & Infant School: Teacher: Lauren Hay. The Eco School Council
Poet: Jaimes Moran.

Research Question
Pursuing Student Generated Live Projects

It is usual for clients to contact and engage Project Office with their Live Project, this is prior to any student participation. This project trials an alternative method where students initiate dialogue with a client, prior to the involvement of Project Office. The term used for this is a ‘student generated Live Project’. This project was initiated and realised by Graham Davey and was completed in the student’s Master of Architecture Design Studio module. Project Office acted as an advisor on Live Project matters whilst the design development was managed in the normal way through studio tutorials. Davey not only completed the Live Project but produced a comprehensive portfolio for assessment meeting Part 2 ARB/RIBA criteria.

Link: Project Office


Graphic Design, United Kingdom, 0-10, Architecture, Client-funded, Permanent, Months, Postgraduate, Collaboration, Students with tutor, Leeds Beckett Univ.