On a prominent crossroads corner at the heart of Walthamstow, a series of disused ground floor spaces have been lovingly refurbished to create a new cultural and creative enterprise hub serving the local community.

The existing 1950s building has distinctive features including a wavy canopy creating a streetfront parade and an elegant clock tower marking the corner with civic presence, adorned with matching patterned tiles. A large part of the ground floor contained an outdated council one-stop shop, meaning the frontage lay inactive.

We stripped back the internal linings of this space; removing false ceilings, carpets, partitioned desks and exposing the original concrete shell to create a generous, robust hall-like space. We also developed a range of bespoke furniture and fittings for the project. Everything was delivered on a tight budget within eight weeks.

Externally, the façade has been respectfully upgraded to enhance the character of the existing building. Notably, the underside of the wavy canopy has been painted a vibrant yellow, two new street entrances have been introduced and new signage highlights the change in use.

Central Parade consists of a café run by local bakery Today Bread, four incubator units with subsidised rent for local retail startups, open plan co-working, basement rehearsal / recording studio spaces and two standalone shop units accessed from main thoroughfare Hoe Street. Up to 50 independent creative businesses can be accommodated at any one time.

The incubators have street-facing shop windows and internal glazed bays to the café clad in dark red stained plywood. They are strategically located so that visitors experience a street-like entrance sequence into the building, forming an internal façade to the café by opening directly onto it. This generates a supportive community atmosphere and allows the café to double as an event space.