Fabrications | Delvendahl Martin Architects

Fabrications first opened its doors in 2000 at Broadway Market Street in Hackney, after local designer-maker Barley Massey proposed to lease a disused shop and turn it into a textile design studio, gallery and shop. Over the last 10 years the space has grown into a renowned creative hub, contributing to the vibrancy of the area. From the beginning the business has followed the principle of ‘upcycling’ local business waste into functional products and services. In the spirit of this approach, the design of the new rear extension to the shop and the basement workshop, which was delivered on a budget of £80k, incorporates where possible building materials and components that are either reclaimed, made from re-cycled materials or with low embodied energy. An example of this was the involvement of ‘Out of the Dark’ to design and install part of the fitted furniture. The organization repurposes salvaged furniture as a means to educate, train and employ young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The geometry that gives the massing of the building its characteristic triangulated shape, was generated to minimize overshadowing to adjacent properties and maximize daylight penetration to the basement. The project was shortlisted for NLA’s Don’t Move Improve Awards 2012. Architect: Delvendahl Martin Architects Collaborators (Initial Scheme): Georgina Robledo, Neil Dusheiko Project Team: Eric Martin, Nikolai Delvendahl and Emma Ellis Structural Engineer: Galbraith Hunt Pennington Main Contractor: Sail & Sons Photography: Nick Holt Fitted Furniture: Out of the Dark Building Control: AIS