The Lemon Aid
Program: Civic and Public Art
Location: Zaha Hadid Foundation, London
Area: -
Status: Completed, 2026
Client: The Architectural Foundation
Partner in Charge: Darius Woo and Katie Kasabalis
Special Thanks: Andrew McDowall, University of Cambridge Digital Fabrication Laboratory
The Lemon Aid is a mobile design intervention exploring how resourceful, small-scale gestures can activate underutilized urban spaces.
Conceived as a mobile lemonade stand and social installation that support the launch of the Architecture Foundation’s New Architects 5 book, the project uses the simple act of sharing a drink as a catalyst for conversation, exchange, and multi-generational gathering.
The project stems from Kasawoo’s ongoing research into how low-cost, temporary interventions drive meaningful social impact. Rather than relying on heavy infrastructure, LemonAid investigates how small acts of generosity can foster community connections and transform forgotten spaces into vibrant places of encounter.
Material reuse is central to the design. The stand is constructed entirely from salvaged components rescued from the waste stream. Its primary structure incorporates a historic front door saved from a modernist estate renovation, celebrating its original character, patina, and blemishes. The interior framework uses timber supports reclaimed from a discarded street-side bed frame, paired with minimal, off-the-shelf stainless steel components to create a deliberate dialogue between old and new.
Ultimately, The Lemon Aid demonstrates how thoughtful reuse and design playfulness can generate both environmental and social value—transforming overlooked materials into a rich narrative that sparks life in the city.
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