WorkStack is a pioneering response to the growing need for high quality industrial workspace on compact sites. The 14 units sit within a distinctive cantilevered form, constructed in CLT.

WorkStack is a new model for introducing high density industrial space on compact, urban sites, primarily constructed from engineered timber. Designed to be affordable to rent, operate and maintain, its 14 workshops house a mixture of light industrial and creative uses. The client, Greenwich Enterprise Board (GEB), is a social enterprise developer providing affordable workspace in the borough of Greenwich, south-east London. The new cantilevered structure is built on a disused site on the A206, previously used for wholesale warehousing.

GEB approached dRMM with a vision to create spaces where industrial uses would be associated with good design and that could “accommodate a wide variety of SMEs and help maintain a diverse and thriving local economy”. dRMM proposed an alternative to the ground-scraping industrial ‘tin shed’ approach, developing an efficient, stacked and cantilevered design. The stack enabled 1,335m2 of lettable maker’s space on a footprint of just 229m2 CLT was chosen for its lower embodied carbon versus steel and concrete, aligning with GEB’s sustainability goals. Internally, masonry blocks infill a braced steel frame at ground level, creating a non-combustible structure on which the CLT structure sits.

The exterior is clad with corrugated steel, making use of hard-wearing materials commonly found in industrial areas. The south-western façade consists of polycarbonate and glass panels, allowing both diffused natural light and clear views. Spruce CLT is left exposed on the interior, revealing the structure of the building, eliminating the need for additional internal finishes, and offering biophilic benefits.

Occupied now for well over a year, GEB have easily filled the studios and continue to maintain a waitlist. Current tenants are eclectic and include an electric bike shop, furniture designer-makers and custom workwear makers. Where many developers express their concern that industrial spaces negatively impact neighbourhood environments, WorkStack proves that an attractive solution is possible.