Growing Place
A Four-Part Documentary by Lavanda Films
Lavanda Films is proud to present Growing Place — a four-part documentary series that blends grounded storytelling with the powerful voices of a community reimagining its relationship with land, building, and belonging.
In partnership with Material Cultures, pioneers in sustainable architecture and natural building, Lavanda Films provided full-service video production, artistic direction, and documentary development. From early workshops to hands-on construction using locally sourced, sustainable materials, we were there to capture each conversation, design decision, and moment of collaboration.
Since the project’s inception in May 2024, Lavanda Films has been deeply embedded in the process — filming, editing, and shaping the narrative as landworkers, architects, builders, and community growers came together to envision a new kind of sustainable architecture on a thriving food-growing site in North London, stewarded by Black Rootz and the Wolves Lane community.
Over the course of several months, we filmed participatory workshops, on-site builds, and community dialogues, working closely with facilitators, participants, and local residents. Our aim was to portray not only the physical creation of a building but also the emotional and cultural layers of the project — stories of repair, reconnection, and resilience. The result is a cinematic portrait of a community designing a building that reflects their values and can be replicated across other urban growing spaces.
In Spring 2025, we entered post-production, working alongside script editor Sara Pereira and the Material Cultures team to construct a four-part film exploring key themes: Agritecture, Co-Design, Skills, and Land. Each chapter highlights how creativity, collaboration, and sustainability intersect to shape a new approach to architecture and land use. The full series is scheduled for release in Autumn 2025.
Social Media Film Campaign & Digital Strategy
To amplify Growing Place and ensure its message reached audiences beyond the screen, Lavanda Films crafted a social-first content strategy tailored to today’s digital landscape.
Recognising the importance of short-form video marketing, we produced a collection of bite-sized, high-impact social media clips derived from the main documentary. Each film was strategically re-edited into vertical reels and stories optimised for Instagram, TikTok, Youtube Shorts and LinkedIn — designed to boost reach, engagement, and website traffic in the lead-up to the full film release.
This content strategy combines strong visual storytelling with precise audience targeting. Using compelling hooks, on-screen quotes, and behind-the-scenes moments, the social campaign is designed to draw viewers in within the first few seconds — a crucial factor for audience retention across platforms.
We paired these visuals with SEO-rich captions and clear calls to action, guiding viewers to learn more about Material Cultures through their website, register for community workshops, and watch the complete series. Regular posting schedules, strategic hashtags, and audience engagement practices ensures that Growing Place will build steady momentum before and after its premiere.
By merging documentary filmmaking with social media strategy, creative video production can serve both artistic and promotional goals — expanding a project’s reach while deepening its impact.
Projects like Growing Place reflect what Lavanda Films does best: cinematic documentary storytelling rooted in community, sustainability, and creative collaboration. Whether capturing architectural builds, cultural events, or social initiatives, our mission is to amplify authentic stories through film — helping organisations and creatives communicate their values and vision with impact.
Explore more of our collaborations with Material Cultures and We Can Make, including the Strawsheds Project in Bristol — and stay tuned for exciting new international work across Northern Africa and West Asia coming in 2026.
Film scheduled for release this Autumn 2025.