something to help businesses inside the creative industries, and [...] decided that actually the most democratic thing to do, the thing we’d have the biggest impact on, and without making judgements ourselves – which we don’t feel that we were particularly well placed to do – was to have an across the board £5 rent per square foot for anyone in the first year at the design district.’ ‘And that was really about just giving the businesses that move here a moment to catch their breath, and take the focus off having to pay the rent, and putting their energies back into what they do best, which will be whatever creative pursuit is their own.’ Tenants announced (at the time of writing)


the milk and the teabags, and worrying about the rent and the insurance.’ Straddling both worlds – that of the development and that of the small creative business – Arvanitakis takes her knowledge and sets about ‘plugging it in, or using it to question our service charge, or the


way that we’ve structured our contracts, or our marketing messaging’. One of the flagship offers, meanwhile, was


introduced in response to the havoc wreaked on the creative industries by the pandemic. ‘We knew that we ought to be trying to do


Above top Design District’s canteen was designed by Madrid-based architects SelgasCano


Above bottom The bright, caterpillar-shaped canteen serves as a focal point


Above right Close-up on Mole Architects’ CorTen steel-covered C2 building


Left Design District comprises eight pairs of buildings designed by leading UK and European architectural firms


include Ravensbourne University, with its new postgraduate Institute for Creativity and Technology; QUEERCIRCLE, a LGBTQ+ art space; Love Welcomes, a social enterprise using craft to help refugee women; Concept Kicks, a sneaker innovation platform; Brace Yourself, an independent music brand; and Bureau, ‘London’s new member’s club for the creative industries’. The idea is that grouping together the


creatives will form an ‘ecosystem’ of mutual benefit and support: sharing of skills and equipment, attracting business and creating an inspiring atmosphere – the latter also being a boon to the rest of the wider Greenwich Peninsula development. The Design District team, meanwhile, will continue to support the community, with programming tailored to what will be of practical use – covering tax and HR for example – as well as more ‘inspiring’ events. Long awaited after the interruptions of


Covid-19, Arvanitakis is looking forward to everything finally being open. The buildings have been opening gradually since June, but September marks a month-long launch or ‘celebration of the creative industries’ coinciding with important events in the design calendar such as London Design Festival, London Fashion Week, Open House Weekend and more. Beyond this, the Design District will be ‘ever


changing,’ and so too Arvanitakis’ role with it, ‘because the tenants will come and go, and their needs will change [...] for [the Design District] to do a good job by the creative industries it needs to move with whatever the demands are.’


DESIGN DISTRICT


DESIGN DISTRICT


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