Bryden Wood at 25

‘Look again at sites/buildings that may not seem the best option,’ he urges developers who may be considering taking on similar projects.

It’s great to see how they have attempted to do things we wouldn’t have thought of.’.THE BRYDEN WOOD PERSPECTIVE: PAUL O'NEILL.

When embarking on the project to reimagine and develop the building into Great Western Studios, we knew ‘the constraints of the build would be its making,’ says Bryden Wood Board Director, Architecture,.The aim was to create a great building that would respond to its context/environment and that is certainly what Bryden Wood have achieved.The initial challenges posed by the building’s proximity to the Westway and Grand Union canal, as well as the limited site space for construction, have birthed a space of both aesthetic and functional dynamic, equally capable of fulfilling its practical goal of providing creative office spaces to West London creative businesses..

According to O’Neill, the biggest challenge of the project was the building of phase 2 over the fully occupied, existing (phase 1) building.He says that whilst knowing the building would be in use by creative industries did give a sense of freedom regarding the design, ‘it was clear that the building needed to deliver value to ensure we created affordable workspaces.’ These, he notes, are still in shortage in West London.

‘It’s stylish yet affordable,’ he says of GWS, ‘and a perfect contrast to the generic, co-working businesses which have established themselves over the past five or so years.’ The ground floor studios are ideal for startups, whilst an upper-story, canal-side unit makes an excellent workspace for an office of 20 plus.. O’Neill loves the diverse collection of creatives and businesses the building has attracted and says he’s ‘glad it has provided GWS and its tenants with a safe, welcoming, happy environment which is conducive to hard, serious and creative business.’ From an architectural perspective, his favourite thing about the building is the gentle curve alongside the canal side elevation.

‘Look again at sites/buildings that may not seem the best option,’ he urges developers who may be considering taking on similar projects.That people like these are drawn to the building is affirmation of everything the design set out to achieve.

We caught up with the team who run the space as well as some of the residents to see why the space works so well for them.... KRISTI MINCHIN, GREAT WESTERN STUDIOS.With only two metres separating the roof of the building from the A40 Westway and The Grand Union Canal only five meters from the walls of the building, the triangular structure of Great Western Studios is in a unique urban position.

Partway between Notting Hill and Paddington in West London, the space was originally an old paint factory, which the owners enlisted award-winning architect, Bryden Wood, to turn into studio space for the artistic community back in 2009.After the successful completion of the first project, Bryden Wood was commissioned a second time in 2017 to add a further two storeys to the building to create a total of 104 studio spaces.. GWS’ Marketing Executive, Kristi Minchin, says she was initially attracted to the building by the talent and creative energy of its occupants who include artists, architects, fashion brands, and creative tech companies.