A group of children and adults enjoying a party with cake and food. The scene shows various desserts and snacks, including large hamburgers and smaller desserts. The setting appears to be indoors with a background of curtains.
A group of children and adults enjoying a party with cake and food. The scene shows various desserts and snacks, including large hamburgers and smaller desserts. The setting appears to be indoors with a background of curtains.

Inspirational design & construction Since 1985

1985 — Where It Began

Cod Steaks was founded by Susannah Lipscombe in 1985 as a specialist model-making company. From the beginning, the focus was on imaginative ideas, skilled craftsmanship and finding practical ways to bring ambitious designs to life.

A black and white photograph features two young people standing on either side of a large mascot costume of a smiling cartoon face with big eyes and a hat with British Rail logo on it, at a train station with a clock tower in the background.
Black and white graphic of a fish with the words "Fish Food".
A vintage photograph of two women and a young girl surrounded by large puppets and stuffed figures, including characters resembling a pig and a girl with a doll, in an indoor setting with a table and supplies in the background.
Film set scene with water, crew members, and damaged cars, including a yellow car, in a nighttime environment.
Group of people posing in front of two large clown figures and a striped background in an outdoor setting.

Building Worlds for Animation

Cod Steaks established its reputation by creating detailed sets and models for some of the animation industry’s most celebrated productions. This work demanded precision, patience and creative problem-solving—qualities that continue to shape everything we make today.

Two people working on a model or diorama with trees, landscape, and structures in an indoor workshop or storage space. One person is sitting on the floor, smiling, and the other is leaning over the model, both engaged in their work. The background features boxes, a ladder, and storage shelves.
A cartoon-style illustration of a fish with a large eye and open mouth, over an orange and gray background, with the words "codSteaks" and "Inspirational Design & Construction" below.
View from ground level showing a person looking down into a miniature wooden ship or boat with detailed decorations, including a small barrel with a teddy bear and miniature tools, and a decorative sailor-themed box with a figurine in the background.
People working on constructing a detailed miniature model of a castle in a workshop. The model features multiple towers, windows, and decorative architectural elements, with tools and materials scattered around.
A man is working on building a detailed wooden ship model inside a workshop. The model resembles a pirate ship with elaborate carvings and decorations. The workspace includes various tools and materials, and another person is visible in the background behind the ship.

Growing Beyond the Screen

Over the following decades, our skills expanded beyond animation into film, television, theatre, museums, exhibitions, advertising and themed environments. What began as a model-making company gradually developed into a multidisciplinary creative design and fabrication studio.

A person wearing a black cap and black sweater is drawing on a large white foam sculpture.
Logo for 'Cool Staks' featuring a cartoon black and white fish with an exaggerated face, against an orange circular background, with the tagline 'Inspiration Design & Construction'.
Inside a workshop or manufacturing facility with various tools, machinery, and materials, where a large red curtain or backdrop hangs, and there are some people working or inspecting. Blue structural frames are set up, and there are large rocks or sculptures in the foreground.
An aerial view of a parking lot with several parked cars and a construction area featuring a large metal sculpture being assembled. Construction equipment and workers are visible, with fencing and supplies nearby.
A warehouse or workshop space filled with various wooden structures, shelves, and tables. A decorated Christmas tree is in the center. People are working and assembling items amidst boxes and tools. Red tarp hangs on the wall, and a large black ventilation unit labeled 'Cold Steaks' is visible.

Under One Roof in Bristol

Today, our creative studio and specialist departments operate together from a 24,000 sq ft workshop in Bristol. Designers, project managers, model makers, sculptors, scenic artists, engineers, joiners and fabricators collaborate closely from the earliest idea through to final installation.

A man with glasses, headphones, and gloves standing in an industrial workshop surrounded by large plants and a giant pumpkin.
A woman is smiling and writing with a marker on a large white board with green borders. The board has partially visible text, and the woman is wearing a white long-sleeve shirt. The setting appears to be an indoor space with a metal and wood ceiling structure.
An illustration of a bass fish with the words "Outdoor Hooks" underneath, featuring a fishing hook incorporated into the design.
Two men having a conversation in an indoor space, one wearing a black jacket and the other dressed in a white protective suit, with construction materials and equipment in the background.
A person is sculpting an owl statue from clay in a workshop, with tools and wooden shelves in the background.

Creating Experiences Worldwide

More than 2,000 projects later, Cod Steaks continues to create sets, props, models, sculptures and immersive environments for clients across the UK and worldwide. Our work can be found in museums, visitor attractions, films, restaurants, retail spaces, exhibitions and live experiences—each project brought to life with the same imagination and attention to detail that began our story in 1985.

A detailed model of a castle with tall spires and towers, built on rocky terrain with water at the base, displayed in a dark exhibition space with spotlights.
A cartoon illustration of a fish wearing a Santa hat and a bowtie, with the text 'codi steals' and a subtitle 'INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION' beneath it, set against an orange background.
Gold-colored coin with a cartoon fish holding a fork, with text celebrating 35 years of CookSteaks, established in 1980, by the International Design and Construction
A dining booth with a round table set with glasses and silverware, featuring a large white wall sculpture of a bearded figure holding a trident, illuminated by wall sconces.
A large metal sculpture of a horse outdoors during dusk, with trees and grass around it and small markers in the foreground.
Costumed woodland characters gathered outside a decorated tree-trunk door in an autumn forest setting
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