Secondhand Vernacular Gala Celebrates Design and Community Ingenuity
May 29, 2025
Design with a Conscience Honoured at Secondhand Vernacular Awards.
Beneath the rafters of a transformed East London rail depot, the inaugural Secondhand Vernacular Awards Gala brought together artists, designers, and local changemakers for an evening celebrating creativity born from constraint.
Hosted by the Community Design Trust, the gala recognized standout projects that elevate discarded materials and vernacular aesthetics into bold expressions of identity, sustainability, and place. From reimagined furniture made of construction debris to signage-inspired graphic design, the awards spotlighted the power of grassroots innovation.
Top honours went to RePatch, a textile collective that employs local youth to turn fabric offcuts into wearable protest art. Another highlight of the night: a public vote crowned Curbside Commons — a modular, movable parklet made entirely from salvaged scaffolding — as the People's Choice.
“This is not about polish. It’s about presence,” said keynote speaker and urban designer Lianne Okoro. “What we throw away tells us who we are. What we reclaim says who we want to become.”
Guests dined on locally sourced fare served from makeshift banquet tables built from reclaimed palettes, while a live DJ spun tracks using vinyl sourced from charity shops.
The gala marked a powerful statement: great design doesn’t require new materials — only new perspectives.