“One of the conundrums of St James, Clerkenwell is that it has a very imposing outside but a very welcoming inside,” he says. “All sorts of people live in Clerkenwell, but still one [group of people] alluded us – and one that is more present and numerous in the parish than any other. The unreached people group for us was not a tribe in darkest Peru but the workers surrounding Clerkenwell Green.
“Over the last few years Clerkenwell has become the centre for creative industries and many of the old gin distilleries, print works and other workshops have been converted into workspaces for media, design, architecture and start up businesses.
“The answer on how to reach these people dawned on me when I was in the New York Public Library. I’d chosen the library because it was a beautiful space and it was away from the normal hubbub of life. The wonderful thing about the New York Public Library is that rather than the message ‘only come if you have a university accredited research reason’, it communicates ‘welcome’ from the entrance onwards. Once through the bag check, anyone is free to go in and explore fully – all the reading rooms are accessible and all have plenty of desks with power and free wifi. Yes, the building is beautiful and inspiring but so is the welcome.
“The church of my dreams became a space in the heart of London’s creative industries that would welcome and inspire people architecturally, socially and even spiritually. That’s why our collaboration with designer Tom Dixon has been such a gift. He has literally gifted us some beautiful and inspiring lights, tables and chairs along with upgraded wifi but he has also helped us shape a workspace for creatives in Clerkenwell that speaks their design language and makes them feel at home.
“For us that non verbal communication of welcome and value is core to our thinking as we want to be known as a church that understands the design community we’re around and therefore has the opportunity to celebrate and challenge from within.”
The co-working space forms part of the legacy of Tom Dixon’s installation at St James Church for Clerkenwell Design Week, where the brand’s latest collection fresh from its launch in Milan was showcased alongside permanent fixtures such as the donated chandelier Andrew mentions above and a soup kitchen, which provided refreshments for visitors throughout the festival that will also remain after the event.
