How we work

A look inside one of our recent projects: an off-grid ‘village’ for orphaned children in Tanzania

Vision and mission

Article 25 is the UK’s leading architectural NGO working in the Global South.

We do it differently. Here’s how:

We listen. All of our projects start with extensive community engagement. We co-design each building with the community who will be using it, ensuring it truly meets their needs.

We use a local workforce. We don’t parachute in a team from abroad. In fact, if there is local expertise to design and manage a project at the same scale and quality, Article 25 won’t take it on. As project managers, we form a diverse team of local builders, making sure to include women and people in need of employment.

We leave skills behind. We train local people in new construction techniques, improving the economy and giving them the knowledge to maintain and repair their own community assets far into the future.

We use local materials. We’re committed to using natural, sustainable building materials that are sensitive to the landscape and culture. Even in remote locations, we do our best to source materials locally.

We build things to last. We design buildings to withstand extreme weather events like hurricanes and flooding, using seismic design where earthquakes are a threat.

We use innovative technology to be climate-positive. We are experienced in using passive design and creating off-grid solutions, which benefit both the climate and communities without mains power.

We pass savings on to our NGO partners by using pro-bono and low-bono expertise.

Vision and mission

Our vision:

To improve access to healthcare, education and shelter across the Global South.

To deploy our professional skills as architects and project managers to make this happen.

Our mission:

Design and build high-quality hospitals, schools and homes in the places that need them most.

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and of their family”

We take our name from Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

How we are funded

We are committed to keeping the costs down so that high-quality design, project management and buildings are accessible to all.

As a non-profit charity, we keep our design and management costs significantly lower than commercial rates so that NGOs can afford to build that transformative hospital or school.

We also secure significant world leading pro-bono expertise to work on our projects, and pass that saving directly onto our NGO partners.

Architects, engineers, contractors and other organisation in the sector can help to fund these valuable projects by joining our More Than a Building network

Find out more

The Article 25 team

Our people:

Role: Gemma is responsible for the strategic direction and overall leadership of Article 25, overseeing our ambitious plans for growth.
Experience: Gemma has worked in the charity sector and international development for two decades. She has also held the role of Vice-Chairman of the Westminster Africa Business Group at the House of Commons, since 2014.
Surprising fact: Gemma once walked the 200-mile 'Coast to Coast' from St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay, stopping for a beer in every pub en route - in the interests of supporting local business.

**Bea Sennewald, M. Arch, AIA**
Director of Projects

Role: Bea heads up the Article 25 architectural team and has overall responsibility for design and construction management of all projects.
Experience: After more than 25 years of practice, Bea has wide experience in leading international development projects. She is committed to the idea that architecture and building can make a big difference in the lives of families who have no access to healthcare or education.
Surprising fact: If there is ever a real problem with travel logistics, reassuringly Bea has relatives on every continent except Antarctica.

Role: Toby joined Article 25 in 2017, where he applies his expertise and commitment to deliver impactful, beautiful buildings that push the boundaries of design and change the way people can live their lives for the better.
Experience: With a strong background in sustainable design and development, Toby honed his skills working with Indian NGO SEEDS in post-disaster reconstruction in Ladakh, and later with Jestico + Whiles in the UK.
Surprising fact: Toby once spent three months walking 1,600km across the Nepali Himalayas.

Role: Branca oversees multiple building projects, from feasibility to completion, including major initiatives like the Yangon General Hospital, Dominica Housing Recovery Project and the New National Hospital in Montserrat, as well as new project acquisitions including bid preparation.
Experience: Branca has vast experience working on large-scale projects and coordinating a multi-disciplinary team of architects, engineers and other consultants, with previous roles at Howells, Noiz Architects and Adamson Associates.
Surprising fact: Inspired by her friend's stories, Branca joined the Scouts movement at 10 and has remained dedicated ever since. Having been a Scout in multiple countries, she is currently a Scout Leader in East London, supporting over 100 young people gaining skills for life.

Role: Joe is responsible for leading architectural projects and has a strong emphasis on fostering client relationships. He leads multidisciplinary teams and collaborates closely with contractors to manage projects from inception to completion, maintaining particular focus on integrating design and sustainable practices to find the best solutions for the client's needs.
Experience: Joe joined Article 25 from Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and has experience running projects at multiple scales and sizes. He has successfully designed and managed a diverse portfolio of projects, including residential, commercial and healthcare buildings.
Surprising fact: Joe is a keen cyclist and has cycled coast to coast in England, Scotland and Wales.

**Malcolm McGowan**
Senior Architectural Advisor

Role: Malcolm provides expert architectural insight and supports multiple technical operations across the Article 25 organisation.
Experience: The former Chair of the award-winning Sheppard Robson, Malcolm has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in the sector.
Surprising fact: Before turning his hand to architecture, Malcolm was a highly successful rower, representing Great Britain at a number of Olympic Games and World Championships, winning a Silver Medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Role: David provides specialist advice on healthcare projects.
Experience: With 20 years running healthcare projects in the UK, David was an associate at a leading practice in the sector.
Surprising fact: David is a qualified engineer as well as an architect.

Role: Joanna oversees the maintenance and development of the internal systems and processes that establish Article 25 as a leading humanitarian architecture NGO.
Experience: Joanna brings extensive experience in delivering successful projects, managing operational activities and developing high-performing teams across clinical, corporate, and small-business environments.
Surprising fact: After earning a Master's degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Journalism and Humanities in Poland, Joanna became certified as an Integrative Nutritional Health Coach, a leadership skills trainer and an NLP Master Practitioner.

**Georgia Pearce**
Director of Communications

Role: Georgia leads Article 25's multi-channel communications strategy, promoting the organisation across all platforms to engage clients and partners.
Experience: Holding a law degree from the University of Bristol, Georgia has worked with the award-winning global ad agency Wunderman Thompson and refined her communication and client relationship skills during eight years at a B2B marketing consultancy.
Surprising fact: With a keen interest in languages, Georgia speaks fluent Spanish and has a 600+ day Arabic streak on Duolingo.

**Mark Webb**
Site Architect - Montserrat

Role: Mark oversees site work, coordinating between the client, contractors, and design consultants for the Montserrat National Hospital. Previously, he held a similar role for the Dominica Housing Recovery Project.
Experience: With a background as an architect, design manager, and safety advisor, Mark has worked on major projects in multiple countries, including Crossrail and mixed-use developments for Canary Wharf Group and Ballymore.
Surprising fact: Mark contributed to the Vijayanagara Research Project, spending several years surveying and drawing medieval temples in South India. This archaeological survey spanned 40 years, documenting an entire city—the former capital of a South Indian empire.

**Paulina-Shari Stanley**
Site Architect – Tanzania

Role: Paulina-Shari leverages her expertise to oversee the construction and development of a sustainable built environment for the Kao La Amani children's village in Boma Ng’ombe, Kilimanjaro.
Experience: With nearly five years of experience, Paulina-Shari has honed her skills in developing sustainable humanitarian projects across Tanzania and other parts of Africa.
Surprising fact: At just 17, while a student at Kilakala Girls' Secondary School, Paulina-Shari volunteered to coordinate and participate in renovating her government school library. The project's success led to her and her friends being chosen to represent the school at a special lunch in Dar es Salaam with the former Prince and Princess (now King and Queen of England) during their visit to Tanzania.

**Rowan Brudenell**
Strategic Partnerships Officer

Role:Rowan is responsible for identifying key partnerships that align with Article 25’s mission, collaborating closely with Chief Executive Gemma to provide strategic insights that support impact-driven organisational goals.
Experience: With a geography degree from Durham University and a background in the Royal Air Force Reserves, Rowan brings a strong foundation in leadership, strategic planning, and a passion for social and environmental change.
Fun fact: Rowan once had an unusual commute—flying helicopters to work, successfully avoiding rush hour traffic!

**Pascalia Harold**
Site Architect – Tanzania

Role: As a site architect, Pascalia’s role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities that are critical to the successful execution of building projects. This includes supervising the construction, managing projects, and overseeing the design - ensuring accessibility standards and stakeholder collaboration.
Experience: Pascalia started her career in 2020 as an Architecture Assistant at Article 25, working on the construction of a disability school. This role enhanced her skills, deepened her technical knowledge and hands-on experience, while also reinforcing Pascalia’s commitment to creating inclusive environments.
Surprising fact: Pascalia has an identical twin in medicine, leading to amusing career mix-ups. Despite the occasional confusion, they share a special bond in their commitment to improving lives.

**Blasius Venance**
Site Architect – Tanzania

Role: Blasius supervises site activities, coordinates with contractors, and reports daily to the Article 25 team.

Experience: With over ten years of experience in design, supervision, and project management, Blasius excels at handling diverse, complex projects. A skilled architectural technologist, he effectively manages multiple project aspects.

Surprising fact: Blasius has visited every region in Tanzania.

Harry Wallis

Executive Assistant & Relationship Manager

Role: Harry supports the Chief Executive with operational and administrative tasks. He also helps manage More Than a Building partnerships with design, architectural and engineering companies who play a vital role in Article 25’s work across the Global South.
Experience: Harry holds a degree in History and Politics from the University of Sheffield. With two years’ experience working in Parliament, he developed expertise in communications, task management and stakeholder engagement across the private sector, government, and international relations.
Fun fact: Harry has swum with sharks and seals, discovering that seals are surprisingly more menacing.

The board

Norman Foster

Patron,
Article 25

Profile

Lord Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, is the Founder and Chairman of Foster + Partners, a global architecture firm established in 1967.

With a Master’s degree from Yale University, Foster has shaped the architectural landscape for over four decades, leading projects that range from urban master plans to iconic buildings like the Reichstag in Berlin, Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong, and the Commerzbank Headquarters in Frankfurt. A recipient of over 400 awards, including the Pritzker Prize (1999) and multiple Gold Medals, Foster was knighted in 1990 and made a Life Peer in 1999 as Lord Foster of Thames Bank.

**Maxwell Hutchinson**
Founder & President,
Article 25