Culture + Community

Successful spaces bring people together, creating communities with a common purpose.

Community centres, GP surgeries, shops, leisure and cultural facilities are all vital elements of local development. They unlock social value – making a measureable difference to people’s health, wellbeing and economic prosperity.

The spaces between buildings matter too. Our public realm glues these elements of a community together, providing spaces to share experiences and to play. They keep us safe. Make us look up. Help us feel well.

We approach community projects holistically – combining our health and education, hospitality and leisure, and residential expertise – to create places which deliver more than the sum of their parts.

By actively listening and engaging, we get to grips with the needs of community and client – be that a local authority or a commercial developer.

We deliver developments that make a measureable difference to the people who matter most: the people who make this place their home.

Our specialist experience includes:

  • Refurbishing and repurposing buildings
  • Repeatable schools
  • Preparatory schools
  • Independent schools
  • Schools within sensitive settings
  • Boarding accommodation
  • SEN schools and inclusive learning environments
  • Early years, nursery and primary schools
  • Secondary, UTCs and further education colleges
  • Modern methods of construction
  • Super graphics
  • Masterplans

Our Culture + Community projects

Related insights + news

Insights | 28th April 2025

Heritage in Times of Conflict by Lily Ward

Lily works as an architectural assistant and heritage advisor in our London studio and has a Masters in Conservation Architecture. Below she shares some of her findings from her recent research—Heritage in Times of Conflict: An Evaluation of the Role of Communities in Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Ukraine. “At ADP, we recognise the importance of […]

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News | 17th November 2022

An inspiring new home for Getaway Girls

Getaway Girls believes that all young women and girls in Leeds should lead safe, healthy and fulfilled lives – whatever difficulties they’ve faced. In just a couple of weeks, volunteers created a new home for Getaway Girls – turning an empty patch of land into a nurturing, purposeful space. Getaway Girls has already transformed so […]

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News | 1st August 2022

ADP Volunteering Design Services for New Women’s Centre

We’re thrilled to announce that we will be supporting the design of a new home for Getaway Girls, a charity for women and girls in Leeds.

Read more

Lead contacts

Wayne Dobbins

— Director
Wayne Dobbins

  • Email address icon
  • Telephone: 01865 248045
Liz Jarrett

— Director
Liz Jarrett

  • Email address icon
  • Telephone: 0207 089 1720

Our Culture + Community Clients

  • Cambridge City Council
  • Gloucester City Council
  • Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
  • Oxfordshire County Council
  • Science Oxford
  • The Oxford Trust
  • London Borough of Hackney
  • Buckinghamshire County Council
  • Falkirk Council
  • Hartlepool Borough Council
  • Lewes District Council
  • North Tyneside Council
  • Oxford City Council
  • Wallingford Town Council
  • CLEAR Futures