Lessons from The Loop
The CDT’s mission has always been to provide affordable spaces across multiple strands of the Hackney Wick and Fish Island ecosystem through an ethical community-led approach whereby community members can be owners, not just beneficiaries, of change. Our meanwhile site, The Loop (at 119 Wallis Road), is our first major swing at the bat at this vision.
Firstly, let me refresh everyone's minds - The Loop is a first-of-its-kind Circular Economy Hub in Hackney Wick. This hub will facilitate the growth of circular economy businesses by fostering connections, enabling innovation trials, and providing the people of the area with more ethical consumer choices. We've leveraged a broad partner network to get to this point, and I'm thrilled to be part of a movement of organisations, big and small, who want to see a paradigm shift in how business is done in East London.
Photo: ©Daren Ellis
From acquisition to collaboration
As many of you probably know, acquiring a site is only one part of the battle, albeit a significant part. As a small Community Development Trust, it's even more significant for us. We are swimming in a red ocean of stakeholders looking to capitalise on the area's regeneration cycle.
I believe that a third leg of the stool, in terms of the asset ownership mix in HWFI, shouldn't be a nice-to-have but a must. The groundswell of buy-in around this narrative is growing, but for the moment, we still require forward-thinking stakeholders who can look at the area holistically and are willing to collaborate. Thankfully, we have Halcyon DP in our corner, and this has unlocked the potential for us to truly deliver on our promise to the neighbourhood via The Loop.
Navigating challenges
One key lesson I've learned was the importance of fostering collaborations with forward-thinking partners. By partnering with organisations like Re London, Tapestry London, Turner Works, and Arbeit Studios, we were able to leverage their expertise in areas such as marketing, architectural design, and operational fit-out.
However, we faced constraints in terms of time, budget, scope, and the prevailing status quo. Designing a space that caters to the unique requirements of circular economy businesses, such as wide corridors for pallet movement, working goods yards, waste treatment facilities, and specific power and ventilation needs, proved to be a significant obstacle.
Despite these challenges, we remained steadfast in our commitment to creating a space that supports circular economy businesses. We approached The Loop as an experiment, recognising that any lessons learnt could be invaluable in delivering this concept on a larger scale and for a longer duration in the future.
Another crucial lesson was the value of open communication and collaboration with tenants. By working closely with the businesses occupying The Loop, we gained insights into designing a fit-for-purpose space, even if we couldn't achieve everything we initially envisioned.
Nevertheless, The Loop ventures on, as a project committed to creating a space that supports circular economy businesses.
What’s next for The Loop?
In the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to our partner network, those we have combined forces with to deliver something truly unique at The Loop. As well as that, we’ll share some tips on how to achieve this partner mix, lessons learned & plans for future collaborations. Watch this space.
By Patrick Scally