Situated in East Tilbury, a commuter town in the London greenbelt, Emergent heartland is a masterplan that focuses on facilitating bottom-up self-directed urbanism. Made from a kit of parts that are constructed in the central workshop space, the building will grow and adapt over time. Modification, addition and subtraction are central to the buildings approach. Each plot represents a complex negotiated urbanism, where the hierarchy of the built environment process is reversed, and the residents are free to build their own futures.

The framework structure includes the overall structural system and floorplates that house the MEP elements. This provides maximum flexibility for the self-builders making the construction and deconstruction process more accessible for those who are less experienced in the built environment.The flexibility provided by the scheme draws parallels with architects such as Walter Siegel and Frei Otto. They saw the architect as a nurturer to empower people to build according to their own needs. As such, the project's lifespan is indeterminate, and it is in a perpetual state of adaption, modification and expansion.