Yes Make

We specialise in public spaces and community projects in London and beyond.

We believe in community empowerment through the construction of public spaces which inspire and are inspired by nature.

10/07/2026

Marlborough Story House is open!⭐️📚

Built entirely from reclaimed materials, this permanently stocked reading space now sits inside Marlborough Sports Garden in Southwark, a free public sports facility in a community where 71% of households have no outdoor space of their own.

We designed and made it in partnership with Harper Collins ( ) and Bankside Open Spaces Trust (), as part of a wider Summer of Sport initiative with and in support of the National Year of Reading’s call to take books to where people are. Running alongside it: a five-week storytelling programme across July–August, and 500 books donated to each of eight local schools. Every child who visits the Story House can choose a book to take home and keep.

It’s a small structure carrying a big idea — that access to books, and the right to choose them, shouldn’t depend on where you live.

MATERIALS: Doors are from a commercial office space next to Regent’s Park. Thatch is from an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. The Chesnut is the timber that we mill from the Ashdown forest. Door frame surround timber from the Design Museum. The trims are Douglas fir that used to be used as coastal groins, that were re-milled & supplied by Ashwells Timber for a previous project of ours. The trims to the bottom of the door and the top edge of the room is Mahogany, that was installed at Smithfield’s Market… Inside, the wall panels are from the Barbican Centre, the birch-ply shelf stock is from a commercial office space in Victoria called Greencoat & Gordon House. Iroko used as book separator was previously benches that were installed next to Canada Water station during Olympics. Oak veneered ply bench top from Plykea. The rafters, and the stud work behind the thatch came from an immersive theatre set in Deptford. Roofing and gable ends are acrylic that came from an exhibition at London Bridge. The dowels act to both plug holes and hang seats off, came from Beyond Brick, following the finish of their research and development phase. Nails are excess from Webber Insdustries. The only new items we got are the roof fixings, the cleats, and door hardware.

29/05/2026

Some of us. Giant sequoia. Good day.

Exciting design, make, build, and material projects going, days where we get to enjoy and learn together are always the best.

Shot by

05/03/2026

Tipping Point East is being recognised as a national case study.

In the newly published Circularity guidance for mayoral strategic authorities (26 February 2026), Tipping Point East and Yes Make are highlighted as an example of what Mayoral Authorities across the UK can do to support the circular economy by making physical space for innovation, reuse infrastructure and new forms of growth. Circular construction at a large scale requires places to store, process, catalogue and redistribute materials. Spaces where design, making and material recovery can happen side by side.

We are proud that this work is informing national guidance and demonstrating what a working circular system looks like in practice.

A new kind of civic infrastructure for reuse.

Tipping Point East (TPE) is a circular construction hub founded in 2025 and based in Newham, East London. TPE operates from a 20,000 sqm industrial site in the Royal Docks, bringing together material reuse, low-carbon construction, training and cultural activity to support a just transition in the built environment.

Co-developed by and housing the practices of Yes Make (), RESOLVE Collective () and Material Cultures (), TPE creates practical, everyday entry points into climate action rooted in local need.

Photography by

02/03/2026

Our new home, Tipping Point East, is launching today 🌱 🚀

We’re grateful and excited to be creating a new home for ourselves, Material Cultures and Resolve Collective, supported by the and the Tipping Point East is the UK's first climate futures centre, building the infrastructure to store, process and redistribute materials from across the construction industry into new projects.

Designed in collaboration with Material Cultures and built by Yes Make, it is made entirely from reclaimed materials, including a structure formed from a hotel CLT floor slab, bespoke windows from office glazed partitions, custom metal brackets from I beam offcuts and insulating walls retrofitted from theatre flats.
We engineered the building to maximise the potential of reused materials and celebrate these details throughout. It is also designed for disassembly and future reuse.

TPE operates from an industrial site in the Royal Docks, bringing together material reuse, low-carbon construction, training and cultural activities to support a just transition in the built environment.

Photography by

14/01/2026

Our January–March woodworking workshops are live. From offcut-led making sessions to chopstick making, these workshops are about learning through doing, material intuition, and giving surplus wood a second life. Winter into spring, back at the bench.

📍 Paper Garden, Canada Water
Small groups, hands-on, all levels welcome
Some dates sold out — limited spots left

Book via the link in bio. (Yesmake.co.uk/bookings)

18/12/2025

2026 Woodworking Session Gift Vouchers are here!❤️🎄
Gift a voucher for a loved one to discover woodworking in London make objects using reclaimed materials.

Make Your Own Candle Holder
Sunday 18th January 2026 AM

OFFCUT X IMPROV
Sunday 18th January 2026 PM

Make Your Own Chopsticks
Wednesday 26 January 2026

Make Your Own Chopsticks
Wednesday 25 February 2026

OFFCUT X IMPROV
Sunday 15 March 2026 AM
Sunday 15 March 2026 PM

Make Your Own Chopsticks
Wednesday 25 March 2026

Happy Holidays!

Workshops take place at our workshop at

This workshop is completely beginner-friendly and designed for anyone curious about working with wood, whether you’re brand new or looking to build confidence with tools. You’ll be supported throughout by experienced tutors who are there to guide, encourage, and help bring your ideas to life!

For more info link in our bio, as always !

01/12/2025

Listen to Joel at the latest Podcast episode, talking all things Yes Make, and circular construction in practice. Episode 30: Turning waste into beauty: From demolition sites to public spaces Youtube link in our bio!

Find out more about Yes Make's commitment to circularity and community, and how we take the waste from the creative and built environment sector to create beautiful public spaces for communities.

"Every year, thousands of tonnes of perfectly usable construction materials are removed from sites across the UK – yet most still end up in landfills.

In episode 30 of the Futurebuild Podcast (part 1), Martin Hurn talks with Joel De Mowbray, Director and Designer-Maker at Yes Make, about circular construction in practice. Joel shares how his team works with local authorities and communities to reclaim materials, build affordably, and show that sustainability and design go hand in hand.
In this episode:
How he went from growing up in a timber workshop to redesigning the public realm.
Explore why local authorities need a new, community-first delivery model.
The moment Yes Make was born.
Hear how they reclaim tonnes of materials from demolition and construction.
Why structure and beauty should always go together."

10/11/2025

We recently made a bench for as part of the Camden Community Kitchen project, working with people seeking asylum to carve words inspired by their favourite foods.

The bench is made from green chestnut, steam-bent into a curve, with sculptural elements in cedar, cypress, and reclaimed oak from the London Docks.

A playful addition to the STCA and surrounding area, a place to sit, share, and connect through food and making.

Camden Community Kitchen project team: Hanna Baumann, , , , ,

05/11/2025

We are very happy to share a WIP image of the co-design and co-build project we created as part of ’s generator program.

Working with young people from the local area, we imagined, designed and built a bridge for Global Generation’s Paper Garden in Canada Water. This will cross the pond that the generators will be building next year!

Through these sessions we decided what to build together, voting on the breif and the design. The bridge was made from 100% reclaimed timber and renewably sourced timber (from old park benches, to coppiced chestnut) featuring a woven willow railing design.

We always love sharing the joy of making, and it’s especially meaningful when that process unfolds through a long, collaborative journey of design and build.

The 2026 Generators Youth Programme at the Paper Garden is recruiting now. If you know anyone aged between 10-18 please direct them to the Global Generation’s website

29/10/2025

As winter draws in, join us for a special festive edition of OFFCUT x IMPROV: a warm, hands-on workshop making gifts and decorations from reclaimed timber!🎁🎄🎉 (booking website in our bio)

Using only hand tools, we’ll guide you through the process of shaping timber offcuts into objects that you can gift to your loved ones (or keep for yourself!). You might make carved candle holders, incense trays, timber ornaments and tree stars, small table objects, shelves... or simply experiment, letting the material lead your creativity!

No experience is needed. All materials and tools are provided. Two Yes Make team members will be with you throughout the session, providing guidance and assistance. The session is about slowing down, working mindfully with reclaimed timber, and rediscovering the joy of giving something made, not bought. There’ll be calm music, warm drinks, and good company!

Bookings through: www.yesmake.co.uk/bookings (link in our bio)

If you are interested in making it a full-day experience to create multiple pieces or really focus on a larger piece, please contact us in advance of booking, and we can provide a discount for the full day.

A small number of concession rate spaces are available for each workshop for students in full-time education, people on Universal Credit, and people aged 65+. Please contact us for more information. If you do not fall into one of these groups but would like to support a concession space, please choose this ticket option.

Workshop takes place in our workshop space at The Paper Garden, Canada Water 🌱

Address

London

Telephone

+447704793900

Website

https://www.yesmake.co.uk/contact

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