FIELD NOTES / ISSUE 08

Faces & stories from the people making tomorrow.

Conversations about craft, conviction and the useful trouble of changing things.

Portrait of Maya Okafor, wearing a pale stone blouse against a neutral studio background.

Maya Okafor

Community architect / London

Read their story

Maya builds places where strangers become neighbours. Her work starts with a long table, a pot of tea and the questions that rarely fit inside a planning form.

Read Maya’s field notes ↗

Portrait of Theo Mercer, wearing a dark sweater against a neutral studio background.

Theo Mercer

Type designer / Bristol

Read their story

Theo draws letterforms for public spaces, from hospital corridors to hand-painted shop fronts. He believes clarity can still carry wit, warmth and a trace of the hand.

Visit Theo’s studio ↗

Portrait of Anika Rao, wearing an olive blouse against a neutral studio background.

Anika Rao

Material researcher / Glasgow

Read their story

Anika turns overlooked fibres into durable surfaces. Her samples begin with waste from local workshops and end as objects designed to age in public.

See Anika’s research ↗

Portrait of Daniel Cho, wearing a pale shirt against a neutral studio background.

Daniel Cho

Documentary maker / Leeds

Read their story

Daniel records the knowledge held in hands: how to sharpen, mend, fold and finish. His films keep the pace of the work instead of hurrying it along.

Watch Daniel’s films ↗

PORTRAITS BY NORTH WINDOW STUDIO / WORDS BY COMMON GROUND