Coexist / Stokes Croft / Bristol Providing space for a sustainable future, Coexist aims to bring ethically minded organisations together to enhance the opportunities within the local area. Located in Bristol’s cultural quarter, Coexist pioneers creativity, growth and resourceful teaching.
CONTEXT Creating a catalyst for sustainability
Coexist is a mix used building located within the creative quarter of Bristol, Stokes Croft. As an integral part of the community, Coexist aims to represent a sustainable hub of activities that enhance the opportunities within the unique local area, securing a stable future.
Coexist in perspective
......................................................................................................................... The Government has laid out an exciting and bold vision for the sustainable development of the UK in a time of rapid, environmental, economic, and social change. One of the key priorities is the need to catalyse community action in helping people get involved by providing skills and improving access to funding and mentors.
At national levels there are a wealth of online initiatives that raise awareness, educate and bring people together to help support sustainable development. However, rarely do physical and online networks combine at a local level. Coexist aims to pioneer the cause for creating sustainble communities. Bringing like-minded people together and providing skills for present and future sustainability, will help inspire a positive catalyst for other areas to follow.
GROWTH Generating a wealth of opportunity
Bristol city, along with the South West area, has become an exemplar in its commitment to sustainable practice at every level. This has led to a rapid growing market for information, spaces of exchange and a place where people can learn the skills needed for the future. This is the niche that coexist has identified as a high priority and is aiming to fill. The opportunity is to cluster together ethically minded and sustainable focussed business in order to promote excellence through local collaberation. By doing this, we can help promote skills and market growth by sharing. This collaberative plan will be mutually beneficial to the local community, creating positive equality and direction.
VISION Providing Space for like minded people
The Coexist space is divided into four main areas:
................................................................................................... Community Space: The main entrance and ground floor will be a lively cafe / exhibition / information centre. This will be the interface between what happens in the building and the wider community of Stokes Croft. This is the main meeting and exchange point for the area, the hub of the building. Working Space: Office: The central body of the building is to be home to an eclectic mix of future thinking public, private and third sector organisations, a core to the success of our progress. Workshop / Studio: This dynamic space will provide a hotbed for education, arts activities and practical skills. With lots of natural light and space, creativity can flourish, helping the whole community to accomplish sustainable sollutions.
................................................................................................ Event Space From music and performance in the large ground floor community spaces, to cutting edge conferences, exhibition and cinema, the front of the building will be a hive of culture and knowledge, acting as a publicity machine for the large sustainable community and forward thinking strategies. Meeting Space The top floor of the building will provide space for an array of meetings and discussions about the local community. Large spaces with lots of natural light and great views of the city skyline provide the perfect thoughtful atmosphere for any kind of meeting. For more information about our available spaces, please fill out a request form or contact us.
AREA Stokes Croft, Bristol’s Cultural Quarter A stable Investment The Stokes Croft working space study shows that a striking number of businesses in the Stokes Croft area are sustainable compared to other national equivalents. Many businesses in the area source inputs locally and target and employ local people, further strengthening the community. This makes Stokes Croft highly economically supported and self contained, creating a strong core community that is prepared for global uncertainties and future stability, ensuring a positive investment. Most of the businesses within the area are currently expanding, suggesting a surprising strength during the current economic trends. The prevalent support of the local community helps sustain the ideal of a sustainable and efficient future.
The People’s Republic ......................................................................................................................... ‘‘ Stokes Croft is the most interesting and culturally diverse area in Bristol, boasting more honesty, beauty and truth than any other part of the city. People of all backgrounds and have learned to co-exist in an enclave of tolerance that few from outside this magical area can begin to understand. ’’
MISSION Manifesto of our goals
Develop skills in sustainable learning: By promoting ethical and systematic thinking, sustainable solutions can be met through professional, transferable skills and leadership. The transfer of skills will create a resourceful and stronger community work ethic. Improve physical and mental well-being: Reducing health inequalities by supporting balanced and healthy lifestyles will create a more active community. This can be reached by promoting key factors such as healthy homes, workspaces and clean enviornments. Improve equality in meeting basic needs: Reducing inequalities regarding access to affordable housing, essential good and services, safe and satisfying employment and learning opportunities will create a more active, stable community that can support itself.
Promote resource-wise actions : Cutting the consumption of resources by promoting recycling initiatives and energy saving methods will help create a more efficient lifestyle, minimising waste and preventing pollution, creating a healthy community area. Support thriving low carbon economies: Competitiveness, profitable business markets and high employment opportunities can be achieved by supporting a low carbon approach to healthy innovation, enterprise and economic development. With a focus on local workforce needs such as renewable energy, sustainable construction and renovation, enviornmental technologies and local supply chains, the economy will thrive and become less dependent on national resources.
OUTLOOK A long term plan for the local area
Reducing high carbon travel : Promoting and planning for low carbon activities such as walking, cycling, home-working, video conferencing and online networks, will help our case for alternative fuels and low carbon transport access. Using local / ethical goods and services : This will help strengthen the local and regional supply chain, which will in turn boost our local economies and support people in other parts of the world. Promoting local decision making : To help foster citizenship, supporting our local people in informed decision making will create a stronger, more active community that involves the right people in the solutions to local and global challenges. The long term approach : By considering the needs of future generations with a strong emphasis on climate change, the sustainability and ability of local progress will be secured. Supporting the community creates a positive multiplier effect for all.
JOIN Get involved with our vision
Coexist is very open to all kinds of ideas and skills that help benefit the community. We work closely with the PRSC in establishing a sense of creative identity, a sense of belonging and of self-worth for the area.
Our spaces are ideal if you are: - An organisation/buisness or creative individual looking for large central office/studio space - A tradesman looking to teach or learn the skills of useful sustainable construction - An event organiser looking for a new city centre venue within a cutting edge area - A local person or business who wants to know how to work collaberatively on projects with other like-minded people. - Anyone who is productive, creative, open minded and willing to learn and teach to enhance the local community for a mutual benefit to all.
THE PRSC A partnership with Coexist A message from the Peoples Republic
Our mission is to help Stokes Croft recognise its special qualities by improving the streetscape through direct action, by creating a sense of identity, a sense of belonging and of self-worth. The PRSC is determined to safeguard the unique character of the area. Because of the economically challenged nature of Stokes Croft, there are many areas where there are gaps in the normal commercial landscape. This may be seen as quite a disadvantage. The PRSC sees only opportunity, the opportunity to flavour forever the visual nature of our quarter. More stimulating. Tidier. Safer. Better. Opportunity. The PRSC will seek to promote creativity and activity in the local environment, thereby generating prosperity, both financial and spiritual. PRSC will work in all ways to enhance the reputation of th area as a globally renowned Centre for Excellence in the Arts, both in its own actions and by encouraging the action of others. PRSC believes that the strength of the local community resides in its creativity, tolerance and respect for each other.
CONTACT If you’re interested in finding out more about Coexist and the Stokes Croft area, then please get in touch and we can arrange an informal meeting with you. We are just a small walk from Temple Meads station and are located just north of the main city centre.
Coexist Hamilton House 80 Stokes Croft Bristol BS1 3QY
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.............................................................................................. www. coexist. org. uk info @coexist. org.uk 01179 420100
SAT NAV : BS1 3QY
Bristol, South West England wEST eNGLAND
Our Location
Coexist Hamilton House 80 Stokes Croft Bristol BS1 3QY