Who We Are
MATT+FIONA believe that every young person should be able to see themselves reflected in the world; this starts by giving them the opportunity to shape it themselves. We believe that a better, fairer built environment begins by genuinely listening to young people and giving them the skills, tools and confidence to design the places where they live, learn and play.
Through live projects and workshops, we enable young people to imagine, design, even build real spaces. In doing so, they gain far more than technical skills: they develop creativity, resilience, self-worth and a lifelong curiosity about the world around them. They learn that their ideas matter, and that they have the power to make positive change.
The built environment is complex and, too often, excludes young people. At the same time, creative learning opportunities in schools are in sharp decline and many youth spaces have disappeared. By giving young people real agency in shaping local places, we address both these
gaps: Communities gain more inclusive, representative spaces, and young people gain skills, confidence and a lasting sense that their ideas can make a difference.
Our vision is for a world where every young person is valued – by themselves and by others – and where shared spaces genuinely represent and include everyone. When young people can make tangible contributions to their environment (in school, neighbourhoods and public spaces), they develop a life-long care for the built world and begin to imagine different futures for themselves. We believe this should be part of every child’s education: learning how places are shaped, and how they can have a say in shaping them.
Our Team
Matthew Springett
Architect
Dip (Dist) RIBA ARB FRSA
Matthew Springett is one of the founders of MATT+FIONA. He is an ARB qualified architect with his own practice, MSA Ltd. He is also a Senior Lecturer and Teaching Fellow at University College London (UCL). Matthew leads on connecting the pedagogical process and co-design process to creating robust, achievable and award-winning design.
Fiona MacDonald
Educator
MA DipArch FRSA
Fiona MacDonald is one of the founders of MATT+FIONA. She trained in architecture and has over 15 years’ experience working in cultural learning and outreach at Open City, the RIBA and the Design Museum, where she was Head of Learning. Fiona leads on tailored engagement with children and young people and ensuring there are strong learning outcomes for all. Fiona is a member of Part W Collective, which campaigns for gender equity in the built environment.
Lucy Eccles
Programme Manager
Lucy joined M+F as a core team member in 2019 and has been supporting us as a freelancer since 2023. She is an Architect and lecturer in Construction Technology + Live Build on BA Interior and Spatial Design at UAL. She recently completed a 1 year course in advanced timber construction at the Wood Program in Aalto University, Helsinki.
Previous Team Members
George Pope
TCBGC, CIVIC SQUARE, Let's Build: Brixton, Life Afloat, Reflect, GLA Outreach
George joined the team in 2022 and worked with us until the end of 2025, leading on projects that integrated young people’s voices into new places. During this time, they were also co-chair of the Architecture Foundation Young Trustees, a group that actively champions emerging and underrepresented voices from within, and beyond, the built environment.
Jon Shmulevitch
Reflect, Soane Museum, AICS, H3, Arts Depot, GOSH, Mission Grove
Jon worked with us between 2023 and 2025, having previously worked as an architect, specialising in the production of public realm through collaborative design programmes at muf architecture/art. He led on developing co-design and co-fabrication processes to create genuine agency.
Eve Nixon
Kentish Town West, Reflected Space, Cardboard Dreams, Arts Depot
Eve brought experience from working at community engagement-focused New Practice to the team between 2024/2025. She held a dual role focusing on supporting the team and leading her own projects, balanced with managing the studio. She also has spent her time outside of work helping to bring 400 architecture students to Sheffield for 2 weeks as part of EASA Commons.
Baldeep Heer
Tewkesbury Garden Communities Engagement Workshops
Baldeep joined the team in 2024 from January to March on a temporary basis as Programme Manager, leading the development and delivery of our engagement project in Tewkesbury. She is a qualified architect and is passionate about working alongside young people and those in the voluntary charitable sector, so that they can help shape their future built environment and be provided with the services and support they need.
Ella Markes
Euston BUILD, The Floating Classroom, Schools Programme
Ella is currently completing her MArch at Central Saint Martins and working part-time at Store Projects as manager of the After School Club programme. She is driven by widening access to creative education and has a PGCE in secondary Design & Technology. As part of her Masters, she completed a placement with us in the summer of 2024 to support across various projects.
Chloe Lai
Design Future London, Leyton Cricket Pavilion, HS2/Euston, Design Museum Day of Play
With a background in visual communication design and curation, Chloe has transferred her enthusiasm for arts and culture to developing public exhibitions and educational programmes promoting creativity in young audiences through her previous roles in Hong Kong. She has a growing collection of picture books and a photo series of sauce packets on the streets that she files under the name ‘Lost Sauce’.
Lucille Merisio
Let's Build: Brixton, NODA, TCBGC
Lucille is a Part 1 Architect and Freelance Illustrator. Her career connects design and architectural education at STORE projects, SEN learning assistance and 1-2-1 work at ARTBOX London, a charity supporting adults with autism and learning difficulties.
Rosie Murphy
Let's Build: Brixton, Launch, The Power Of Trees, LFA 2022 ACT-IVATE + Design Lab
Rosie joined M+F in 2022 as a Part 2 Sustainable Architecture graduate. She also volunteers for the Architects Climate Action Network and Black Females in Architecture, working to bring environmentally and socially inclusive design together.
Alex Taylor
Architect
Alex is a fully-qualified Architect who worked for Matthew Springett Associates and is a patriot M+F volunteer. Alex enjoys a plethora of outdoor activities but due to recently having a baby finds himself limited one activity; sofa tv watching.
Aggie Fielding
Mallydams RSPCA, Sheltered Spaces, Mega Maker Lab
Having studied Architecture at the Bartlett, UCL, Aggie joined the M+F as a core team member in 2019. Aggie to date has the highest number of counts in the M+F accident book.
Tilly Jeganathan
Brixton House, Design Lab, Bartlett Outreach
Tilly joined the team in 2020 and has volunteered with M+F since 2016. She splits her time between art and architecture, but when she is not sketching away you can find her eating tonnes of tasty Sri Lankan food.
Our Industry Sponsors
MATT+FIONA is incredibly grateful to our Industry Champions for their support of our pioneering mission, to enable children to make their own spaces and places.
The Happold Foundation have been a core support to the Matt+Fiona initiative. They are a charity dedicated to using engineering skills and experience to make a positive impact on people’s lives. They work with young people, educators and researchers to shape a community who want to improve the built environment.
Buro Happold are our inaugural Structural Engineer Industry Champions. They are an international engineering consultancy, delivering creative, value led building and city solutions for an ever changing world. We are so grateful for their constant energy in finding innovative solutions to complex problems and their teams regularly volunteer on our builds with children.
Jestico + Whiles are our inaugural Architecture Industry Champions. They are a design-led international studio of architects and interior and designers based in London and Prague. They provide invaluable industry expertise and their teams regularly volunteer on our builds with children.
