Contractors Yard
Following the award-winning transformation of the derelict glasshouse at Highgate Bowl, delivered under HASA Architects, work began on the adjacent Contractors Yard. The Yard, located next to Omved Gardens, will house and extend the programme of exhibitions, workshops and performances, creating collaborations around the topics of food, creativity and ecological transformation.
Development on the site, formerly a garden landscaping business, had been fiercely opposed, with multiple planning applications refused between 1970 and 2012. However, the team’s understanding of the place, continued relationship with the site’s landscape architect, and ongoing engagement with the local community provided insights that few others had. This approach enabled planning permission to be secured to transform the site into a dynamic new learning environment, comprising five new buildings that were well received by the local authority.
The large and small-scale structures form an ensemble of buildings that draw visitors across the carefully landscaped site. The larger buildings provide seminar space and a cookhouse, hosting workshops around sustainable food production, including events and initiatives with the World Food Programme and The Chefs’ Manifesto. These programmes aim to engage the public and other key stakeholders by bringing discussions around food and sustainability to a wider audience.
Smaller buildings include a seed bank, the Broom which functions as a sustainable energy provider, and supporting toilet facilities.
