Student’s plan for a community center shines at inaugural creators’ showcase in London

Architecture student Matthew Ou earned a people’s favorite award at the “Created at Northeastern” event for design, architecture and engineering students

Matthew Ou holds up a design model during the inaugural “Created at Northeastern” showcase held on the London campus on April 16, 2026. Photo by Carmen Valino for Northeastern University

Dotting the edges of London’s Regent Canal are houseboats that many call home. Just like homes on land, these houseboats are subject to normal wear-and-tear and require regular maintenance. Unlike many land homes, houseboats do not usually have the plumbing to provide warm showers.

Walking along the canal this spring as part of the Site, Space and Programme architecture class, Matthew Ou, a first-year architecture student at Northeastern’s London campus, saw an opportunity to tackle these challenges. He and his classmates evaluated six different unused sites along the river with the goal of designing a community center for people living in houseboats there.

“They’re a little bit nomadic,” Ou, 18, told Northeastern Global News of the houseboaters. “So (we thought) they would need a place to repair or relax a bit.”

Northeastern students laugh together at a showcase — 04/16/26 – LONDON UK. – Scenes during the engineering, design and architecture showcase held on Northeastern’s London campus on April 16, 2026. Photo by Carmen Valino for Northeastern University

A computer screen shows a graph and text project at a student showcase — 04/16/26 – LONDON UK. – Scenes during the engineering, design and architecture showcase held on Northeastern’s London campus on April 16, 2026. Photo by Carmen Valino for Northeastern University

Ou was drawn to one site in particular — a rectangular lot along the water that used to be a garden. It now hosted overgrown plants and graffiti-covered concrete and benches.

A white architectural model against a black backdrop — Matthew Ou’s winning design for a community center for house boaters features three separate buildings that curve with the river. Courtesy

Designs for a multi-story building — Matthew Ou’s winning design for a community center for house boaters features three separate buildings that curve with the river. Courtesy

Ou saw potential in the lot’s rounded edges and lingering greenery.

“I wanted to experiment with very curved shapes,” Ou said, given how the lot curved along the river. “I also like the idea of the plants around it. I wanted to build around how nature connected with the site.”

A Northeastern London student bends over a robot on wheels — 04/16/26 – LONDON UK. – Scenes during the engineering, design and architecture showcase held on Northeastern’s London campus on April 16, 2026. Photo by Carmen Valino for Northeastern University

Northeastern London students speak at a student showcase — 04/16/26 – LONDON UK. – Scenes during the engineering, design and architecture showcase held on Northeastern’s London campus on April 16, 2026. Photo by Carmen Valino for Northeastern University

Ou presented his work at the inaugural “Created at Northeastern” showcase in London, where first-year architecture, design and engineering undergraduates came together to show off their projects from this term.

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Made of three interconnected circular buildings and constructed with different woods and organic materials, Ou’s design includes a walk-up dock and envisions the space to be one where boaters could repair their boat, take a warm shower, wash their clothes and gather with others in their community.

This center would improve what Ou observed during his walks: He only saw two waterside stations — which were rundown and dirty — where boaters could pump out, repair and clean their boats. A houseboater who spoke to the class also said it was a hassle to use these stations.

“I feel like the community center gives a better atmosphere compared to the smaller pump out stations,” Ou said. “Instead of just one small place to do your task then leave…it’s a nice resting spot for the boaters.”

The April 15 event featured robots, 3D printed architectural designs and prototypes for different types of wearable tech. Ou’s design won the people’s favorite award in the architecture category, voted upon by visitors to the event, according to Lena Vassilev, head of design and communication studies and assistant architecture professor, who taught the course along with design lecturer Toby Chai.

“It was incredible to see all the innovative and highly creative products and explorations that students went through,” Vassilev said.

As for Ou, although the class project was just that, the experience helped solidify his plans to stick with architecture for the rest of his time at Northeastern, he said.