This article was published 15 years
This month’s creative space is Emulsion, an architecture studio in Baker’s Yard; a little-known 1980s industrial estate in Clerkenwell, tucked away at the bottom of Back Hill and just down the road from The Eagle; reputedly the first ever ‘gastropub’.
They’re on the top floor, in a double-height space they fitted out themselves, which used to house a display showroom for retail shop fittings for the likes of Woolworth’s so was set up as a dummy shop complete with crisps and stationery.
As the doorbell indicates, Emulsion share their space with Studio Baer, who specialise in graphic design and art direction; and boutique construction firm Matteblak resulting in a buzzy, creative environment where there’s always something exciting happening. In fact every other Wednesday evening, their mezzanine level plays host to a life-drawing class.
They’re big fans of skills exchange – the joinery above was built by cabinet and joinery outfit En Masse Bespoke in return for the design of their showroom. (If I tell you that the black MDF boxes spell out ’emulsion’ in alphanumeric binary, you’ll understand just the levels of design geekery we’re dealing with here! I don’t even know what alphanumeric binary is!)
And their fleet of office bikes are by Japanese bicycle company, Tokyobike, for whom they have designed two pop-up shops; last year in Spitalfields and this year in Shoreditch (now on in Rivington Street).
One of the things I really like about this studio is that the ‘architecture’ is really on show; it’s got a sort of constructional honesty that seems appropriate for an architecture studio.
![External lights strapped around the beams [meant for tying around trees] with seatbelts.](http://confessionsofadesigngeek.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/img_1667.jpg "External lights strapped around the beams [meant for tying around trees] with seatbelts.")
These lights, which are intended for wrapping around trees, are strapped to the beams using seat belts!
The resource library’s very utilitarian Slingsby boxes hide a wealth of material samples ideal for browsing industrial supplies; within galvanised workshop shelving.
As part of Clerkenwell Design Week this year, Emulsion created this beautiful installation called ‘Lepidoptera Chromaticity’.
A nearby digital printing company donated 3 days’ worth of their waste material (usually recycled) and Emulsion turned it into 250 origami moths using colour registration test sheets; the space is defined by the drops of waste paper from end-of-rolls, and a bed of shreddings serves as a garden.
dsadas
You may also be interested in:
- creative spaces :: emma bond
- creative spaces :: ian lettice
- creative spaces :: michael anastassiades
- creative spaces :: wimbledon art studios
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.190238524358222.41140.181947435187331 (more photos)
- http://positivesharing.com/2006/10/10-seeeeeriously-cool-workplaces/
- http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/article/detail/1727/the-power-of-color
- http://www.thecoolhunter.com.au/article/detail/1373/worlds-most-creative-work-environments-our-3rd-book-designers–submit-your-designs.
- http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/22530/DulCeylanJaspers2011.pdf
This article was published 15 years
Such a nice peek into the space, thank you! I love knowing there are spaces like this tucked around Clerkenwell.
My pleasure, Charlene. It’s a lovely space, isn’t it? x
Fascinating. I love the alphanumeric binary as a design structure. Great collaborations! x
Elisa,
I’m still slightly baffled by alphanumeric binary, but love the geekiness of it all!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Katie x