Where We Are
  • Getting Here
  • Local Area
Availability
Office
  • Import Building
    • Overview
    • Schedule of Areas
    • Floor Plans
    • Customise Your Space
    • Specification
    • Data/Sustainability
    • Occupancy Costs
    • Downloads
  • Studios at Republic
    • Overview
    • Floor Plans
    • The Offer
    • Downloads
  • Export Building
    • Overview
    • Schedule of Areas
    • Floor Plans
    • Customise Your Space
    • Specification
    • Data/Sustainability
    • Occupancy Costs
    • Downloads
Retail
  • Import Building
    • Availability
    • Floor Plans
    • Specification
    • Downloads
  • Export Building
    • Availability
    • Floor Plans
    • Specification
    • Downloads
Amenities
  • Food/Drink/Retail/Leisure
    • The Gentlemen Baristas
    • SimplyFresh
    • Bar Salento
    • PureGym
    • F45
  • Changing Facilities / Bike Racks
  • Meeting Rooms
Gallery & Films
  • Import Building
    • Exterior
    • Reception / Atrium
    • Ground Floor
    • Office Floors
    • Amenities
  • Export Building
    • Exterior
    • Reception / Atrium
    • Ground Floor
    • Office Floors
    • Amenities
  • Public Realm
  • Films
Community
  • What’s On
    • All
    • News
    • Events
  • Wellness
Contacts/Downloads
  • Office & Retail Contacts
  • Community Contacts
  • Downloads
  • Development Team
  • Where We Are
    • Getting Here
    • Local Area
  • Availability Office
    • Import Building
    • Studios at Republic
    • Export Building
  • Availability Retail
    • Import Building
    • Export Building
  • Amenities
    • Food/Drink/Retail
    • Leisure
      • PureGym
      • Changing Facilities / Bike Racks / Repair
    • Meeting Rooms
  • Gallery & Films
    • Import Building
    • Export Building
    • Public Realm
    • Films
  • Community
    • What’s On
    • Wellness
    • Community App
    • Clipper Magazine
  • Office & Retail Contacts
  • Community Contacts
main_logo
twitter
@republicLDN
instagram
republic.ldn
#republicldn
Clipper

East London

Containerville and the creative workspaces of Trinity Buoy Wharf in the London Docklands.

The Working Wharf at Trinity Buoy Wharf

1 July 2019


Perched on the mouth of the River Lea is a mishmash of buildings – brown brick sits next to wooden huts, which neighbour a ‘Container City’, and London’s last surviving lighthouse. This is Trinity Buoy Wharf, part of the Docklands infrastructure and inarguably a true creative hub.

Earlier this year, The Wharf (as it is known locally) celebrated its 21st birthday – in its current form. From the empty and derelict former docklands that have stood here since the 1800s, in 1998 the space was revived and transformed into what it is today: an affordable haven for people in the creative industries.

This is all thanks to Urban Space Management (USM) who won an open competition set up by the site’s owners, the London Docklands Development Corporation.25% of rental income returned to arts projects in east london

Keen to protect creatives against the death knell of rising rents and high rise developments taking over previous industry hubs, the USM’s proposal saw it take a 124-year lease on the site and then, with the help of the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, funnel 25% of the rental income back into promoting arts activities and projects in the area.

Since winning the competition, the USM has offered subsidised rent to its tenants and restored the Wharf’s historic buildings to include workspaces, exhibition galleries, event and performance spaces, a cinema, cafes and even installed a pier so it is reachable by water transport.

Among its 500-plus population are a mix of people from all facets of the creative industry, including photographers, designers and makers, web designers, musicians, artists and small businesses.

As a testament to the cultural and creative importance of the area, The Royal Drawing School has a campus located there. The Trust has also stayed on mission by supporting up-and-coming creatives through various projects.

trinity buoy wharf collage showing shipping container offices

One of is being the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize (previously known as the Jerwood Drawing Prize), which is the longest running annual exhibition for drawing in the UK and offers emerging talent a national stage to show their work.

Not satisfied with spending the last 21 years supporting the creative industries in London, site manager John Burton explains that USM is looking to add more space to the Wharf: “We have outline planning permission to add some more buildings and hope to get detailed planning permission for those.

That will complete the development, but there will always be something to tend to! I’m also looking forward to the future growth of even more arts activity.”

Wharf Resident: Parkour Generations

Parkour Generations Gym Manager Alex Pownall

One of the more unexpected tenants on the Wharf is Parkour Generations, which is based within the Chainstore Gym. The space is the UK’s only true indoor parkour training zone. Gym manager, Alex Pownall explains why parkour is one of the most creative sports out there.

How did you start out in parkour?

I’ve been doing it since the age of 15 – I started after seeing Casino Royale at the cinema, and then traveled up to London from Sussex to take some classes. Parkour is what’s referred to as a transformative practice, meaning that through training it automatically changes the way you think. We could all do with a little more self-awareness, self-acknowledgment and confidence, and parkour is an immensely fun and accessible way to acquire those things while building strength, mobility and resilience.

What would you say to someone who is interested in taking part?

Parkour is one of the only truly personal sports. It’s a practice that defies uniformity and encourages individuality.

How long have you been at the Wharf?

Parkour Generations moved into one of the Container Cities, which are made up of shipping containers in February 2014. It’s a very bohemian community with a large appreciation for performance art, pop culture and wellbeing practices – we fit into all three of those categories.

Describe Parkour Generations.

It’s what you’d get if you mixed a playground, a city and a gym into one. It was designed and kitted out to ensure that we can train everyone from young children to the elderly in parkour and all of its component disciplines.

How do you contribute to the Wharf community?

There’s often something going on that the public can attend – we work with the Wharf throughout the year to run parkour seminars and other training-related events. We teach regularly in several local schools and host ‘Leave No Trace’ training jams that invite the community to gather at a training spot and collect rubbish for two hours before the session begins.

We also offer discounts for residents or those who work on-site. They’re a lovely lot! Coming into work is always nice when you’re greeted with waves and smiles.

 


Clipper Magazine is produced for Republic by Courier Media.

Article Last Updated: March 8, 2023


Share to Twitter

Share
Twitter

Share to Linkedin

Share
Linkedin

Top Stories

  • Exploring Creative Hubs
  • 7 Strategies to Find Cheap Office Space in London for Your Business
  • How to Find an Office to Rent in London
  • Creating a Workspace with Centric Labs
  • Get Out of the Office
  • Work This Way
  • Courier Live at Republic

Related East London

Dancing on the Peninsula with the English National Ballet Copy

East London
2 August 2019
Dancing on the Peninsula with the English National Ballet Copy



Read
more
+
Dancing on the Peninsula with the English National Ballet

East London
2 August 2019
Dancing on the Peninsula with the English National Ballet



Read
more
+
London on Film, Exploring 3 Mills Studios

Creative Hubs
16 June 2019
London on Film, Exploring 3 Mills Studios



Read
more
+
Office & Retail Contacts >
Community Contacts >
Republic
2 Clove Crescent
East India
London E14 2BA
Republic
2 Clove Crescent
East India
London E14 2BA
main_logo
© Republic London 2023 Privacy Policy