Creative workspace redevelopment in collaboration with the Earls Court Development Company
Projekt is working with The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) to turn six derelict Victorian Townhouses into 8,500 sq ft of work space for creatives and innovators, who live and/or work in Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea. This initiative starts the process of curating a creative commercial heart to the site.Due to open in May 2022, Empress Studios occupy the eastside of Empress Place owned by ECDC. The westside offers accommodation for key workers and those on low income.
Planning permission has been granted for upwards of 30 new spaces, that will be created to provide affordable studio and office spaces supporting the arts and science industries. An open call application will be issued for new tenants via www. empress-studios.co.uk and is aimed particularly at creatives from the surrounding area.The successful applicants will be welcomed into this burgeoning community, as part of the wider vision for Earls Court. This will include link-ups and discounts with other nearby businesses to support the local economy, and the opportunity to showcase their products/ work at the local pop up shop on Lillie Road.
CEO of Projekt, Nick Hartwright, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working in partnership with The Earls Court Development Company on what we feel is a fantastic new development on this iconics London site. This area of London has been under serviced for the type of spaces we provide, and we are looking forward to being part of London’s newest neighbourhood and creating new spaces and opportunities for local businesses.”
CEO of ECDC, Rob Heasman, said: “Creating a home for creatives and innovators at Empress Place is a crucial step in the long-term plan transformation of the site into a new piece of city, celebrating the history of ingenuity at Earls Court. We are delighted to be working with Projekt to create a new working community in Empress Place, joining our residents in Empress Place West.”
H&F Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan, said: “We always believed these buildings were part of our beautiful Victorian heritage and should be protected. So, we are delighted that, with The Earls Court Development Company, we have a partner proven to be committed to the shared vision of transforming this part of the borough into one of the great centres in London as a beneficiary of our groundbreaking Industrial Strategy for pioneering STEM, media and medical startups.”