A Manual for Start-Up Spaces: How to unlock the potential of under-used sites.
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Over the last few years we’ve been thinking. We’ve been thinking about how to bring about change. We need to make use of the spaces and places which traditional investors often overlook. We can fill these with entrepreneurs, artists, makers and other talented people who are just starting out. On the pages that follow you’ll be going on a tour of five of our projects where we’re putting people and places together.
A few quick words before we start…
We are always looking for new partners and organisations to work alongside. So if you have a space that needs a new purpose or a community that needs a boost, we’d love to hear from you.
We kick-started the temporary transformation of an underused urban space into affordable start-up spaces for artists, makers and local people to work, learn and play in.
Peckham Levels
Re–imagining & Re-using:
START ON SITE
December 2016 COMPLETION
December 2017 FORM OF CONTRACT
Design&Build CONSTRUCTION COST
£ 3,000,000 COST PER M2
£ 330 CLIENT
Southwark Council / Make Shift STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Eckersley O’Callaghan MEP ENGINEER
PSH QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Christopher Smith Associates MAIN CONTRACTOR
Titan / Haig FIRE
Compliance UK / BWC Fire BUILDING CONTROL
Harwoods
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It Went From This: Levels 1 to 6 of a multi-storey car park, all fallen into disuse and disrepair and now a magnet for crime, drug use and other anti-social behaviour.
To This:
• • •
A place for creative people to work A platform for small businesses to grow A venue for the community to come together
How We Did It:
1.
We ran a series of community consultation activities to explore what kind of workspaces and facilities people wanted.
2.
We joined forces with the social enterprise Make Shift.
3.
We harnessed the skills, creativity, ambition and goodwill of the community.
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Re–imagining & Re-using
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What you’ll find: • Over 600 jobs • 50 studios for more than 60 artists, makers and small creative businesses • Larger open-access workshops with 3-D printers and other covetable equipment • A dark room and photography studio • A 70-desk coworking space • A screen-printing studio, London’s largest open-access facility of this kind • A ceramics studio with a kiln • Music rehearsal studios • Yoga & Wellness studios
And just as importantly: • 7 food kiosks • 2 bars • Café • 1 vegetarian canteen • Children’s play areas • Exhibition space • Event Space • Market space • Public spaces for community events
Studios & Workshops
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A typical studio takes up the space of one former parking bay.
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Studios & Workshops
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Studios & Workshops
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Public Space
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Public Space
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What you can learn from Peckham Levels : 1.
It all starts with an open mind. A multi-storey car park might not seem like the most promising or creative of spaces, but this run-down, neglected structure presented us with the perfect conditions and raw materials for what we had in mind – a creative and cultural space where people could work, learn, create, share skills, and simply come together.
2.
Once you’ve found your space, appreciate its natural qualities. Tread gently, take a low-tech approach, and work with the building – not against it. In the case of Peckham Levels, we were dealing with something particularly robust and industrial. But it would be the perfect blank canvas for people to make it their own. The exposed structure, long horizontal strip openings and regular grid of columns and beams would set up long, rhythmic views from one end of the building to the other. The split-level floors would create interesting spaces. And the vehicle ramps would act as a continuous route through the building. Peckham Levels is special precisely because everyone knows – and celebrates – the fact that it’s a former car park. When you walk around, you still see the old yellow direction arrows and the parking bay markings on the floor. The simple, honest materials we used complement the existing fabric rather than trying to erase it. And all of this expresses the meanwhile nature of the project.
Thoughts
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3.
You’ll be surprised how adaptable existing forms can be. What was once a silo for cars has now become a birthplace of ideas. A typical studio takes up the space of one former parking bay. The wide vehicle aisles have become breakout spaces and communal work areas which will flex and change with people’s needs. And the scale of the building allows expansive social spaces for gatherings and events. It’s as if this building was just waiting to welcome its new purpose. For us, it’s been quite a journey. We poured almost everything we had into the project. But we emerged wiser, tougher and full of ideas for other possible transformations. We were ready for more.
Something to think about: How many more disused, unloved spaces are out there waiting to become the backdrop for creativity to flourish? If you think you’ve spotted somewhere promising and we might be able to help, let’s start talking.
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We re-used old shipping containers to create low-cost, low-energy, stackable studios, workshops, cafÊs and public spaces – a new mini city with a stepping-stone economy.
20ft Steps: Pop Brixton
START ON SITE
2014 COMPLETION
2015 FORM OF CONTRACT
Design & Build CONSTRUCTION COST
£ 1,500,000 CLIENT
Lambeth Council / Make Shift STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Price & Myers MEP ENGINEER
Max Fordham MAIN CONTRACTOR
Carl Turner Architects BUILDING CONTROL
Assent
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It Went From This: A brownfield site of around 2,000 sqm
Above: Pop Brixton in development stage.
To This:
• •
A hive of activity and purpose A creative microcosm in bustling surroundings A place for people to work, gather, eat, drink, learn and enjoy themselves
•
How We Did It:
50% 50%
1.
We won an open ideas competition run by Lambeth Council and then paired up with the Make Shift team to help us deliver this vision.
2.
We used twenty- and forty-foot containers and then created a bespoke timber-framed buildings to sit between these.
3.
We brought everything together with welcoming outdoor space, greenery and an urban garden.
23%
30% 70%
77%
50% Existing Businesses
70% Local Members
70% Supplies bought locally
50% Start-Ups
30% Outside Borough
23% Supplies bought elsewhere
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Stepping Stone Economy
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What you’ll find: • 50 different spaces • A co-working space with over 200 members • More than 15,000 visitors every week in summer • More than 250 jobs • More than 50 apprenticeships and work placements • £9million contributed to the Brixton economy in a year
And just as importantly: • Places to eat, drink and socialise • Regular workshops for children and adults • Space for community events • A community garden and greenhouse – where local people can get involved and learn • A grand poly-tunnel – which doubles up as a communal dining hall
Public Space
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Public Space
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Workspace
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What you can learn from Pop Brixton :
1.
What does ‘affordability’ really mean? We could go on debating this for ever. But what we do know is that when people get hold of a place cheaply they tend to hang on to it. It gets passed down through the generations and becomes ‘stuck’. If you really want to shake things up, you have to step back and rethink the traditional economic model.
2.
Have a look at what lies beneath Pop Brixton. It offers a very different model, and we call it the ‘stepping-stone economy’. It encourages the movement of people, organisations and businesses as they grow in size and confidence. It keeps everyone moving up the ladder, unlocking space at the bottom of the chain. That means everyone gets a chance. Like Peckham Levels, the lifespan of Pop Brixton is a matter of just a few years, so it’s not a sound investment in the traditional sense. But there’s no doubt in any of our minds about how worthwhile this stepping-stone economic model can be. Standard developments tend to allow people at the top to keep moving up, while everyone else stays put.
Thoughts
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3.
Sometimes you have to look at things in a new way, and that’s what we did here. We’ve seen market traders move into small food kiosks, we’ve seen restaurants move onto the high street, and we’ve seen businesses grow from just a desk to their own four walls and more. And, like at Peckham Levels, there’ll be endless ripples in all directions. We won’t always be able to claim credit, but we’ll know we played our part in showing a different path. For us, it’s been quite a journey. We poured almost everything we had into the project. But we emerged wiser, tougher and full of ideas for other possible transformations. We were ready for more.
4.
So even with short-term projects, it’s a question of taking the long view. And remember that it’s not all about changes in the here and now. There’ll be a lot more to come. This was the first project which allowed us to really work within communities and create change from the ground up. Now we knew just what we could achieve with a bit of land and the right partners. But even better it showed others what we were capable of, and word soon spread. So Pop Brixton has changed the landscape for us too. You can’t underestimate the power of a good project. When one like this comes along, jump at it.
Something to think about: It’s not just about rethinking our buildings. It’s also about rethinking the structures that underpin our society. We know that’s a lot to take on board before starting a project, but we’re here if you need us.
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We created a ‘warehouse for the arts’ – a drama school by day, a community space by night (and at weekends), and a venue for the performing arts.
Mountview Academy
Cultural Commerce:
START ON SITE
May 2017 COMPLETION
September 2018 FORM OF CONTRACT
Design & Build CONSTRUCTION COST
£ 21,000,000 COST PER M2
£ 2,063 CLIENT
Mountview Academy & Southwark Council STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Eckersley O’Callaghan MEP ENGINEER
Skelly & Couch QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Rex Procter & Partners MAIN CONTRACTOR
Gilbert-Ash BUILDING CONTROL
London Borough of Southwark FIRE
Astute Fire THEATRE CONSULTANT
Charcoalblue PROJECT MANAGER
Baqus CDM COORDINATOR
Focus
C
It Went From This: A site tucked behind Will Alsop’s Stirling Prize-winning Peckham Library
To This:
• • • • • •
How We Did It:
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11,000 square metres of space over six floors A building made up of two interlocking volumes A home for tomorrow’s actors, singers, dancers and technical wizards A hub for the community Much-needed facilities for professionals A platform for creative people of all types
1.
We put our heads together with the college and with Southwark Council.
2.
We drew on our in-depth knowledge and understanding of start-up spaces to rethink how an educational institution could finance itself.
3.
We went above and beyond our role as architects.
Student Space
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What you’ll find: • 400 full-time and vocational students • 100 full-time staff • A central ‘street’ • 22 dance and theatre studios • 14 music studios • A state-of-the-art theatre for an audience of 200 • A TV studio • A radio studio • An outreach programme • Evening, weekend and holiday courses
And just as importantly: • A public space and café • A rooftop bar open to all • Rehearsal space and studios for hire • A pizza restaurant • A café • A shop
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Student Space
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Student Space
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Exterior
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What you can learn from Mountview :
1.
Is it possible for a performing arts college to be based on a truly sustainable business model? This question really got us scratching our heads and asking questions. We drew on everything we’d learnt at Pop Brixton and Peckham Levels. We stopped thinking of Mountview as an institution and started thinking of it as a start-up space. That’s why it’s included here, among these more temporary transformations.
2.
Often, it’s by putting together unlikely combinations – here, a performing arts college with our intimate knowledge of start-up spaces – that you get a flash of inspiration. The students – just like fledgling businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives – are ‘start-ups’. They are at the very beginning of their careers, and this is their launch pad. But there are parallels in other ways, too. Mountview opens its arms to the community, and professional actors, performers and broadcasters have a very good reason to come here too. We knew there was a lack of professional rehearsal space in Southwark and the West End, and the college plugs that gap with a West End stage-sized rehearsal facility, TV studios, recording studios and other facilities for hire. Mountview is most definitely open for business.
Thought
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3.
Even if the idea of making space for ‘commerce’ doesn’t immediately sit well with you, think about how it might help drive what you’re trying to achieve. Most cultural and educational institutions look in upon themselves, but Mountview breaks the mould. The rewards are obviously financial – the revenue from ‘extra-curricular’ activities brings down the capital costs of the build – but also educational and professional. If young people in the area get a glimpse into the performing arts, it could show them other possible futures. And, for Mountview’s current students, the connections they make here could lead them on to bigger and better things. Breaking the mould, as we’ve learnt, is almost always a good thing for everyone involved. And it opens a lot of doors.
4.
What about for us, then? We enjoyed rising to the challenge – of the tight budget, the punishing timescale, and everyone’s expectations – and focusing our minds on what really mattered. And it’s opening doors for us, too.
Something to think about: Are there things you’ve learnt in one sector that you could put to good use in another? If you’re worried something seems farfetched but you’re tempted to go for it, feel free to run it by us.
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We’re reinventing a collection of historic warehouses and industrial sheds to create a destination for the local community, visitors and those passing through.
Coachworks
From Agriculture to Culture:
START ON SITE
March 2019 COMPLETION
Summer 2019 FORM OF CONTRACT
Design & Build CONSTRUCTION COST
£ 650,000 PROJECT AREA
1000 sqm COST PER M2
£ 650 CLIENT
Ashford Borough Council STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Eckersley O’Callaghan MEP ENGINEER
Max Fordham QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Jackson Coles MAIN CONTRACTOR
Carl Turner Architects FIRE
Astute BUILDING CONTROL
Harwoods
D
It will go from this: Scruffy, unused light-industrial buildings and a yard
To This:
• • • •
How we are doing it:
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A start-up workspace and a co-work incubator A ‘tropical paradise’ for food, drinks and events A new social and cultural meeting place A creative campus which will be more than the sum of its parts
1.
We won an ‘open ideas’ competition organised by Ashford Council.
2.
We’re drawing on Ashford’s history as a centre of agriculture, trade and transport.
3.
We’re working with the existing buildings.
From Agriculture to Culture
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What you’ll find: • 1,000 sqm of indoor and outdoor space • Workspace • A co-work incubator • Food and drink venues
And just as importantly: • A social and cultural meeting place • An outdoor room with all sorts of possible uses
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What you can learn from Coachworks :
1.
If you’ve ever stared at a completely bank page, you’ll probably know that it’s not always conducive to putting pen to paper. Look instead at the bigger picture. Ashford is very much on the map in more ways than one. Eurostar trains stop here. There are high-speed trains to London, and the M20 passes close by. But long before fast trains and the motor car, Ashford was a prosperous farming and merchant town. It still has one of the country’s largest livestock markets. And now ‘The Commercial Quarter’, very close to the railway station, is the site of major development. It’s here, among the new blocks and rising towers, that you’ll find Coachworks. When Ashford Borough Council put out a call for ‘open ideas’ for an interim use for this site, we knew this was one for us. We love the challenge of an ‘open ideas’ competition. It’s about thinking ‘this could be anything’ while simultaneously homing in on what’s right for the place and the community. So it’s about thinking out of the box but within the box – in this case quite literally.
Thoughts
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2.
Context can be a great starting point for creativity. We would be working with the existing warehouses and sheds, carefully refurbishing them and adding new structures beneath their roofs and between their walls. We thought carefully about the people who would have gone about their work here in previous centuries – it had been the site of railway workshops, a brewery, garages, and even a mill. We took in the wider context too: the locomotive works nearby, the goods yards and the railway sidings. And we learnt all we could about the town’s vision for the future. It was vital that whatever we came up with was true to its sense of strategic, commercial and agricultural importance. Doing some serious research is part of the satisfaction of doing a good job. Take pleasure in immersing yourself in the historical detail.
3.
Think big, however small you might feel. You could say that Coachworks is but a tiny and temporary drop in a sea of movement, construction and changing opportunities. But this would never dent our ambition. If this little hub of activity, conviviality and possibility can remind its neighbours of the power of the small and the short-term, then it will have done its job. And if it’s done its job, then we’ve done ours too.
Something to think about: Are there any open ideas competitions you could think about entering, even if on paper you don’t quite tick all the boxes? Sometimes it’s just a question of teaming up with people who have skills that complement yours. We’re a great believer in collaborations, and we’re always open to talking about the possibilities.
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We’re finding inspiration in the humble railway arch and converted warehouse to provide new temporary spaces for artists, makers and creatives.
Clarnico Quay
Space for Making:
START ON SITE
May 2019 COMPLETION
February 2020 FORM OF CONTRACT
Design & Build GROSS INTERNAL FLOOR AREA
2700 m2 CONSTRUCTION COST
£4,500,000 COST PER M2
£ 1,700M2 CLIENT
Make Shift STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Structure Workshop MEP ENGINEER
PSH QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Christopher Smith Associates PROJECT MANAGER
Make Shift APPROVED BUILDING INSPECTOR
Stroma MAIN CONTRACTOR
Glencar PLANNING
Quod LANDSCAPING AND CONSULTATION
Jan Kattein ACOUSTICS
Hann Tucker FIRE
Astute
E
It will go from this: A brownfield site between Hackney Wick and the Olympic site
To This:
How we are doing it:
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•
Spaces for artists, makers, entrepreneurs and small businesses
•
Places for people to gather, socialise and wander
1.
We’re working once again with Make Shift, our friends from Peckham Levels and Pop Brixton.
2.
We’re approaching the site as a micro-city.
3.
We’re using old forms to design new spaces.
Space for creatives
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What you’ll find: • Art studios and maker-units • Co-working spaces • Interesting public spaces
And just as importantly: • Cafés • Bars • Event venues • Exhibition spaces
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What you can learn from Clarnico Quay : 1.
Often the legwork has already been done. Railway arches are a great starting point for thinking about how to design new spaces for makers. They are solid and (almost) indestructible. They are inherently fire-proof. They have direct access to the street or yard. And the acoustics tend to be good. We can learn a lot from them.
2.
Old forms might just need new places. As London has flourished and pressure on land has intensified, these very functional spaces are under threat. And now Clarnico Quay has given us a chance to explore these concerns in a very concrete way. The site is sandwiched between Hackney Wick and the canal on one side, and the former Olympic site on the other. New housing and offices are springing up all around, but development can’t just be about those.
3.
There’s nothing better than talking to people – or, rather, listening. That’s how you work out what’s really important to them. We visited the existing makers and artists here to see how they work and what kind of spaces they need. There were no surprises. The concrete-framed warehouses built out of brick serve them well, with large volumes being sliced and diced into low-tech, loose-fit spaces and capacious goods lifts. The external yards seemed purpose-built for their needs, too. They were perfect for deliveries, storage, and working outside by day. And at other times they became gathering and performance spaces.
Thoughts
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4.
Look out for this kind of flexibility. It’s a sure sign that you can start rethinking, adapting and re-using. Both the railway arch and the warehouse would be our inspiration. There was no need to reinvent the wheel. But is it possible to produce a denser version of the same thing, perhaps with stackable spaces, that could be squeezed back into our towns and cities? We’re still thinking hard about what’s possible. But we know we’ll always be inspired by both the humble railway arch and the converted warehouse, whatever the lay of the land.
Something to think about: If you’ve never thought about flexibility as being on a par with space and light, now might be the time. It’s fundamental to nearly everything we do. And we’re always happy to explain just how transformational it can be.
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We’ve been going for 11 years. We’ve grappled with shipping containers, car parks, old agricultural buildings and empty space. It’s not always about permanence, solid walls and big ideas, though we like those things too. Scraps of space are full of possibility, and long-term change can come with the briefest and smallest of projects. You could be a community group, a local council, an enlightened developer, or just someone with vision and a bit of courage. Who knows what could happen when we join forces. We’re ready to find out. Get in touch, and let’s see where it takes us.
hello@turner.works www.turner.works
All professional photography: Tim Crocker
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20ft Steps — Pop Brixton Cultural Commerce — Mountview Academy From Agriculture to Culture — Coachworks Space for Making — Clarnico Quay
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Re–Imagining & Re–Using — Peckham Levels
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