#28 Acme buildings from 2013
50 stories from The Acme Archive
Following the Capital Development programme that delivered four buildings between 2006 and 2012, Acme delivered three studio buildings through partnerships in 2013: High House Studios in Purfleet, Warton House in Stratford and the Glassyard in Stockwell. These buildings are now 10 years old.
High House studios, containing 39 studios and 4 work-live units were designed by HAT Projects and built in partnership with High House Production Park. The design was informed by Acme’s 2 year Knowledge Transfer Project, conducted with Central St Martins, which identified the features of studios converted from old light industrial buildings that artists favoured. The project was notable for its low build costs, delivered through the simplicity of materials used and the efficiency of the structural system. This low build cost allowed studios that worked for artists to be delivered to the artist at low cost, with the architectural press at the time reporting that the smaller studios were available for £89 a month.
Warton House shares a past with the former studio building located nearby at Carpenters Road, as it was also a Yardley factory. This was relevant in its selection as the location for the Unearthed exhibition, which looked at the history of the Carpenters Road studios. The development was a Section 106 partnership with Genesis, following the successful development model that had started with the 10 year capital development programme. The building has 24 studios and is now the home of Acme's Early Career Awards residencies.
The Glassyard was built in partnership with the University of the Arts, whose student accommodation is located on the upper floors, and contains 24 studios and 6 work-live spaces. As with High House Studios, the design of the studios benefited from the Knowledge Transfer Project. The Glassyard, alongside the Highline building, is home to the Associate Studio Programme, developed out of a partnership with Double Agents.