The first phase of Harrow Arts Centre’s redevelopment sees underused historic outbuildings become a dance school, events space and artists’ studios
Architecture and research practice DK-CM has completed the first stage of a wider project to transform the Harrow Arts Centre in northwest London. Three outlying listed buildings across the centre campus – which had previously been used for laundry and storage functions – have been sensitively refurbished to become new locations for a dance school, events space and artists’ studios.
The work is part of a six-year masterplan developed by DK-CM to support the arts centre to grow and become both environmentally and economically sustainable. The design team carried out an extensive study of the history of the campus, which was originally The Royal Commercial Travellers School. The masterplan retains and upgrades existing buildings, improves public realm, and adds four new buildings across the site as part of latter phases.
DK-CM completes first phase of Harrow Arts Centre redevelopment
16 February 2021 By Fran Williams. Photography by Neil Perry
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Source: DK-CM
40 under 40 practice DK-CM has completed Phase 1 of the north London art centre’s campus redevelopment including the refurbishment of three listed buildings
The listed but disused buildings across the campus have been refurbished into a new dance school, events space and artists’ studios.
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This work, with a budget of £1.3 million, is the first phase of a six-year masterplan developed by DK-CM to support this popular Harrow cultural campus become self-sufficient.
Across all three buildings, a careful reuse approach has been taken to the historic dilapidated outbuildings. The practice started by removing layers of harmful additions and conserving and repairing where needed to give the structures longevity.
The council updated the public on Covid-19 through a webinar (Photo: Newsquest/Pixabay) Harrow Council’s top health officer said there is “light at the end of the tunnel” as Covid-19 cases in the borough gradually fall. Carole Furlong, director of public health at Harrow Council, believes there is cause for optimism, particularly given the wider rollout of the vaccination programme. She told a community webinar on Covid-19 last night (Tuesday, January 19) there is evidence things are getting better in Harrow but urged people to continue to follow government guidance to help reduce the spread of the virus. “We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel – by no means are we at the end of that tunnel yet, but people have been doing their best and are saving lives by staying at home,” she said.