defunct council office building converted into an all-blue workspace in london

realized by jan kattein architects and meanwhile space, the project transforms a defunct council office building and car park in london with the aim of nurturing talent and boosting local businesses over the next five years. just around the corner from wood green high road, the blue house yard is a collection of creative work spaces which will soon be home to a tailor, toy maker and a brewer among other local entrepreneurs. 

‘framed by a bright blue studio complex, nine tall, slender standalone worksheds and a double-decker bus café, the yard itself will become a much-needed social space in the town centre, hosting markets and evening events.’

jan kattein architects and meanwhile space have collaborated with high street works, a multi-disciplinary organisation intervening across london to provide high street improvements. in order to achieve an innovative and distinct design for blue house yard, adaptable to the individual needs of a broad range of creative tenants, the company ultimately embraced a self-build process.  here, construction is not just a means to an end; it provides an opportunity to test and prototype sustainable timber frame construction, helps to train eight local carpentry apprentices and discover new design opportunities at every joint and junction.

each space has been devised to give its tenant the operational framework they need to grow. homeworkers will have their first public facing space, new businesses will be able to do market testing and more established business can take on new staff. the public space means there are opportunities for all to benefit from tenants’ activities, or be drawn to plan and deliver their own. the first tenants have already started moving into studios, with work on the yard set to finish in may. as construction nears completion, and tenants begin to customize their work spaces, the project is only just beginning the next phase of its creative development.

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom