Waterloo City Farm is a community farm located on a previously unused strip of land to the south of Waterloo Station. Run by two charities – Jamie’s Farm and the Oasis Community Hub – the farm aims to provide a learning resource for local schools and the wider communities, offering children in danger of exclusion from their schools a refuge.

The first phase of the pro-bono scheme provided a series of timber-framed animal pens to house the farm’s pigs, sheep and chickens, a composting toilet, planting areas and two polytunnels.

A large timber framed barn was built as part of the second phase to provide the farm with much-needed educational facilities.

The site also provides the home for Feilden Fowles own studio.

An overgrown and neglected plot of land on the south side of Westminster Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth, has been transformed into a collective home – and community farm – for a trio of organisations with a shared focus on education: architects Feilden Fowles and the charities Jamie’s Farm and Oasis Hub Waterloo.

The sliver of land is owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ who have negotiated the lease. It was originally marshland and later used for farming in the 18th century and it will return to its original use as a unique vision of a community farm in the heart of London, satisfying the requirements of both charities and numerous local stakeholders. The origins of Lambeth come from Lambehitha meaning “landing place for lambs”. This iteration – a meanwhile use – will remain for five to ten years, when St Thomas’ Hospital intends to redevelop the site as part of a masterplan to expand the hospital facilities.

Drawing inspiration from traditional tithe barns, the truss form of the Douglas Fir framed barn gives character to the space and its structure can be seen through the corrugated glass fibre cladding which wraps around the outside of the building. Inside sits a small classroom, clad in galvanised steel and lined internally with birch-faced ply. It provides a more traditional teaching environment while retaining the simple, agricultural aesthetic of the rest of the site.

The site, which is owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, has been developed as a meanwhile use and all the buildings on the site have been designed to be demountable, allowing it to be taken down and reconstructed on a new site once its time on this one comes to an end. The prefabricated timber frames can be deconstructed and rebuilt and mechanical fixings can be removed without damage to the structure.

Jamie’s Farm’s ‘Farming, Family and Therapy’ scheme has been making a consistent postive impact on disadvantaged students lives. A 2021 report found that after visiting
the farm on a regular basis;
There is a 61% reported improvement in mental wellbeing; and 58% reported higher self-esteem.
Prior to visiting the Farm, 68% of pupils were not on track in core subjects. After visiting the Farm, the number not on track decreased to 30%.
Of students coming to the farm in the 2020/21 school year, 43% were reported as at risk of exclusion. After a 6 week follow-up, 66% of those were no longer were at risk.