Roundhouse Works

Located to the rear of the Roundhouse in Camden, this new building houses three studio spaces and a Centre for Creative and Digital Entrepreneurs. Designed specifically for 18-30 year olds, the building is a centre for talent development–where young people will be able to grow their creative skills and business acumen to make the next step in their personal and professional journey.

The ground floor of the building, set approximately 3m above the street below, includes state-of-the-art digital facilities for rehearsal, recording and live broadcast alongside a seminar space, meeting rooms and affordable workspace for young creative entrepreneurs and freelancers where members will receive mentoring and support.

On the first floor, a triple-height studio provides space for large-scale performing arts skills especially aspiring circus performers. A second studio provides an acoustically sealed space for bands and other musicians to rehearse.

The design, developed with Paddy Dillon Architect, draws on the language of the existing shipping containers on the site and its former use as a railway yard with the studio spaces expressed in two large, metal-clad cubes. Reclaimed timber sleepers are used for cladding at the lower levels, contrasting against the metal above and linking the building back to its railway heritage.   The sleepers and cross-laminated timber structural frame also significantly reduce the embodied carbon in the building. Energy use and environmental impact have been considered throughout the design process and the building is set to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.

Photos: Fred Howarth