Dedicated to integrating nature into the built environment
Associate director, Intervention Architecture. Part 1: 2013, Part 2: 2017
In addition to her collaborative work at Birmingham practice Intervention Architecture, Marina Strotz trained as a horticulturalist and helped design and deliver a project that won a BBC Gardener’s World Gold award. The Wander and Wonder garden is now a therapeutic space at the Rookery Gardens assisted-living mental health facility.
The Swiss-British architect’s commitment to collaborative design was praised by her referee, Intervention Architecture director Anna Parker, who described her as a ‘change-maker with plants and technology as her medium’.
Parker added: ‘Her energy is effervescent for actioning how we can work together to improve the way people live whilst benefiting places and “greening the grey” – truly admirable quality in a young architect.’
Strotz is an advocate of ‘genuine’ community engagement through actively collaborating with local communities and stakeholders to ensure projects are developed with the community rather than imposed upon them, building skills and fostering a sense of ownership.
‘Today, there’s a detachment between large public projects and surrounding communities, where engagement often feels like a formality,’ she says.
She led the transformation of neglected spaces in economically deprived parts of east Birmingham into pocket parks, involving the local community in the co-design and co-build process. Current projects include a park in collaboration with the local community in Erdington – the first part of a project to convert a Victorian swimming baths into a community and enterprise hub.
In 2022, Strotz became the first female president of the Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA).
‘In a city dominated by commercial practices, she clearly brings a genuine community-led approach,’ said judge Fiona Scott, while Martyn Craddock added: ‘Marina’s tenacity in combining horticulture and architectural design shines through this application.’
What piece of architecture or placemaking do you most admire?
The Water Aid Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show by architect Je Ahn and landscape designer Tom Masse integrates sustainable design with a powerful narrative on global water access. Its innovative use of materials is not only beautiful, functional design but also raises awareness about clean water’s importance and climate change. Unlike other show gardens, the garden will have a life after and be relocated to Manchester, continuing its mission to inspire and educate.