Architecture Portfolio

Architecture for
Equity
and Wellbeing

Architecture exploring feminist design, biophilic spaces and wellbeing — a graduate portfolio from the Manchester School of Architecture.

Selected Work

Featured Projects

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Canalside Workshop exterior render showing brick building with playful canal-side landscape
Community & Education

The Spartan Works Reuse

Rooted in feminist design theory, this project responds to the needs of neurodiverse women — creating a space that balances sensory stimulation with moments of quiet relief. Inspired by a local carpenter who traded rent for maintenance skills, the programme centres on workshops that teach women new trades in a field that remains predominantly male.

The building was designed to be constructed by women, with no plastic used in the build. Algae harvested from the nearby canal is repurposed as a bio-plastic alternative, closing a material loop between the site and its ecosystem.

  • TypeCommunity Workshop
  • LocationSheffield
  • Year2023–24
  • StatusAcademic Project
Exterior render of the Movement & Recovery Centre with its distinctive tessellated orange facade
Health & Wellbeing

The Elowen Project

This project tackles two interlocking crises: the unaffordability of mainstream sport and the year-long wait women face before receiving SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) counselling. The proposal is a redefined leisure centre — accessible, calm, and restorative — for women navigating that wait.

The programme focuses on low-impact, mindful movement: yoga, Pilates, and gentle exercise. Biophilic principles thread nature through every space via living materials, natural light, and softened form. Three values drove every design decision: movement, privacy, and play.

  • TypeHealth & Wellbeing
  • LocationManchester
  • Year2025–26
  • StatusMasters Thesis Project
The Maternity Ward is Designed for Men — dissertation cover
Research

The Maternity Ward is Designed for Men

When considering equality in spatial design, compromise is often unavoidable. Yet the maternity ward stands apart — it is, by definition, a space designed for women to give birth. This dissertation investigates who the maternity ward is actually designed for today, tracing a direct line back to the 17th century when the space was first conceived and controlled by men.

The research aims to close a critical gap in the literature on maternity ward design and make the case for genuinely gender-specific space-making in healthcare environments.

  • TypeResearch
  • InstitutionManchester School of Architecture
  • Year2025
  • StatusMArch Dissertation
Louise Holden celebrating at a marathon finish line
About Me

Architecture in service of equity and wellbeing


I'm a soon-to-be MArch graduate from the Manchester School of Architecture seeking an architectural assistant role where I can contribute thoughtful, equitable design work from day one. My academic projects have built a strong interest in healthcare and wellbeing environments, with a design approach shaped by feminist thinking, biophilic principles, and sustainable material strategies.


Through leadership and community-facing roles outside the studio, I've strengthened the skills I bring into practice: visual communication, team coordination, public engagement, and calm, responsible decision-making. Running social media for The Egalitarian, supporting young people through scouting, and working as a trustee and outdoor activity instructor have all helped me become a more collaborative, organised, and people-focused designer.

  • Feminist & biophilic design thinking
  • Healthcare, wellbeing & inclusive spatial design
  • Sustainable material research & low-impact construction
  • Clear communication, coordination & community engagement
Contact Me

Open to Opportunities


I'm currently looking for architectural roles and would love to hear from practices, studios, or collaborators who need a thoughtful early-career designer with a strong interest in healthcare, wellbeing, and equitable design.