The Only Way Is Up Part 2 Project 2022 Mahmoud Sayed Abdellattif University of East London London | UK Our cities are facing major challenges when it comes to rapid urbanization, ageing population, climate change and lack of affordable housing. Unless we rethink our built environment, our cities will become increasingly unsustainable, unaffordable and socially unequal. HWFI is a clear representation of how modern low-resolution schemes, can-do solutions and profit-led residential developments, are invasive and pushing a new narrative, a modern one; in which, the city is limited to a specific group of residents, the ones who could afford the sky-rocketing rent prices. With the precarious housing situation of refugees in emergency shelters, and the growing number of new profit-led developments, heritage-listed buildings in city centres that can’t be altered, combined with sky-rocketing rent prices and diminishing real estate inventory, HWFI diversity is dying out, pushing out one of its lead and major residents, the wide diverse community of creatives, makers along with their micro- businesses. Over time, it is apparently not possible to fulfil the needs and desires for more spaces for micro-business and live-work spaces even with informal residents-led innovative solutions, adapting and altering limited spaces to their own living and work needs. Hence the use of symbiotic structures would open the door to a new way of living, new typologies and modes of inhabiting the city. The proposal is built around three central ideas: that cities should be more liveable, more sustainable and more affordable. This project proposes a progressive plan over different spans of time to kick start the economy, build up and spread of the symbiotes ”plug-ins”. Tutor(s) Armor Gutierrez Rivas Rosa Rogina