← Florentia Village← Florentia Village

Located in the Harringay Warehouse District the extension to Florentia Clothing Village will deliver circa 100,000sqft of light industrial space in a series of double stacked ‘workshop’ buildings, oriented around communal yards and interconnected by external walkways. The buildings will be BREEAM Excellent and will be Net Zero Carbon in use, making the scheme at the forefront of its type.

The extension to Florentia Clothing Village is designed to create community-driven, flexible, good value, high-quality workspace for local small businesses with secure occupational policies. The scheme is an evolution of our previous meanwhile projects, but adapted for permanent light industrial workspace. It applies similar modern methods of construction but takes it one step further; aiming for a long-life loose-fit approach that does the most with the least; the least funds, materials, resources and time.

Taking a first principles approach to sustainability, the scheme is oriented to both maximise northern light through clerestory windows and control solar gain to reduce overheating. The scheme is also designed to be naturally ventilated. South facing roof pitches optimise on-site energy generation through the use of photovoltaic panels. The units primarily face on to sheltered working yards that help centralise the noisier industrial activity and avoid noise polluting the neighbouring area.

By setting the blocks out at 90 and 45 degree angles with perpendicular geometry, the proposal stitches together its neighbouring counterparts while also standardising interiors and minimising construction waste. The primary structure is an exposed steel frame that is bolted together with reversible mechanical fixings to allow for easy disassembly and reuse or recycling at the end of the buildings’ lifespans.

The scheme employs a double stacked workspace approach. The larger industrial anchor units on the ground floor provide an enhanced ‘shed’ spatial quality with solid concrete floors and double height volumes with large roller shutters to allow access direct from the shared yards. Smaller ultra-light industrial studios at first floor level benefit from high ceilings and additional roof lights. These ‘attic studios’ are deck-accessed with goods lifts to ensure serviceable space for a wide range of start-ups and micro businesses.

Applying the ‘long-life loose-fit’ thinking, the facade system has been chosen to minimise maintenance and to be mechanically fixed, allowing the facade to be easily disassembled and reused or recycled at the end of the buildings' lifespan.

Seeking to assemble robust materials elegantly, varied metal profiles across datums create a rhythm and texture to the long façades that are then generously punctuated by highly insulative multi-layered polycarbonate windows.

The ‘long-life loose-fit’ thinking is also applied Internally, with robust self-finished materials selected throughout. Exposed concrete blockwork and polished ground floor slabs provide a robust internal finish to the industrial ground floor units that do not require additional finishes. OSB linings to the ‘attic studios’ add a tactile warmth to the walls and ceilings.

The scheme aims to ensure ‘physical’ sustainability works in tandem with socio-economic sustainability. ‘Community Wealth’ building is at the heart of the scheme and ensuring accessibility has guided both the design and operational strategies. Shared surfaces and communal yards are stitched together to ensure that people come first, but operational needs are not compromised. The raised walkways connect all the buildings, and expand and contract to form raised seating ‘yards’ and generous landings for gathering. Building on what already informally takes place at the existing Florentia Clothing village the scheme is designed to foster a platform for serious work with a playful community.

“An incredibly unique project collaboration! Truly going to be the first proper purpose built home for creative making businesses in London.” Jacob Loftus, CEO of General Projects