Reclaiming Belonging: How Can Architecture Restore Cultural Continuity for Immigrant Communities? A Spatial Study Situated in Bethnal Green Part 1 Dissertation 2026 Deena Patel Anglia Ruskin University | UK Restoring Cultural Continuity explores how architecture can support belonging for migrant communities through a spatial study of Bethnal Green, East London. An area shaped by sequential waves of migration from Huguenot silk weavers and Jewish communities to Bangladeshi and Somali residents. The area provides a rich context for examining how cultural identity is embedded within the built environment.Combining archival research, site observation, historical analysis and an original fabric mapping methodology, the project traces how buildings, streets and community spaces have been adapted over time to sustain cultural continuity. Rather than viewing architecture as static, the research demonstrates how everyday acts of reuse, informal occupation and community-led transformation allow places to evolve alongside changing populations.A detailed case study of St Margaret's House, Bethnal Green illustrates how architectural adaptability can foster inclusion by accommodating changing social, cultural and community needs across generations.The project argues that architecture's role extends beyond preserving Heritage, it should actively enable communities to negotiate identity, maintain cultural memory and shape their own environments. At a time when redevelopment and gentrification increasingly threaten established neighbourhoods, the dissertation proposes that socially responsive design and adaptive reuse are essential tools for creating culturally resilient and inclusive cities. Tutor(s) Giacomo Damiani