Five adults stand and sit on modular plywood boxes outdoors in a grassy, green park, surrounded by trees. They are casually dressed and smiling, posing together in natural sunlight.

Designed By Architects, Approved by Engineers, Built by You

U-Build was first developed by award-winning architects Studio Bark, with structural engineering from Structure Workshop and testing from Cut and Construct. U-Build aims to transform the way people think about buildings and the way they are built, by simplifying the construction process and enabling anyone to participate, create and interact with building materials.

We want to empower people to engage, learn and love the process of making. Creating shelter, a place, a home to look back on and say ‘I made that’. We are conscious that building practices can often produce unattractive scars on the landscape. Guided by a circular economy approach to design, we apply a ‘leave no trace’ principle to our projects where possible, making them easy to remove, flat pack, reappropriate, relocate and reuse over and over again.

U-Build now has a third-party verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), providing transparent data on its embodied carbon and environmental impact.

Meet the Team

A man with medium-length dark hair, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and black trousers, stands outdoors in a grassy area surrounded by leafy trees and sustainable timber construction featuring spruce wooden boxes.

Nick Newman – Director

As well as overseeing the day to day running of U-Build, Nick can often be found on site with a drill in hand, helping build boxes and create exciting spaces. Being the founder of U-Build, he also challenges the perception of construction practices, as an author and public speaker.

Likes – Silly Puns
Dislikes – TAX returns

Oli Berry – Architect/Designer

With many years experience generating 3D models and developing the U-Build system to make the experience smoother for the end user, Oli works to find new solutions to problems that clients face. He also can be found on site making projects come to life.

Likes – Lord of the Rings
Dislikes – Tea

Morgan Trowland – CNC/Workshop Manager

Running the workshop where all our boxes are made and coming up with more efficient solutions on how to cut and ship out the system is Morgan’s specialty. He can sometimes be found on site helping projects come to life.

Likes – Cycling
Dislikes – Traffic

A woman with wavy hair in a cream and beige striped jumper and dark jeans smiles outdoors in a lush green area, reflecting the spirit of sustainable living and inspiring others to build a better future.

Livvy Bushell – Studio Manager

Livvy is U-Build & Studio Bark’s Studio Manager, a pivotal role connecting both teams. With a background in office management, education and archiving, she is enthusiastic about supporting projects and contributing to a positive working environment.

Likes – Yoga
Dislikes – Celery

To see what we’re up to, follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. To discuss your project vision or speak to us about Box Library requests and other queries, get in touch by emailing info@u-build.org

Or, you can find us in the real world https://goo.gl/maps/AoVvHpcHkh36btD98