Common Knowledge: Flexible Social Hub Redefines Music Industry
In London, UK, THISS Studio has designed a vibrant and flexible social hub called Common Knowledge, challenging the austerity often associated with the music industry. This modular, dynamic space facilitates knowledge sharing amongst music professionals and recording artists, featuring bespoke furniture, lighting, and shelving developed in collaboration with Mitre and Mondays. Embracing the building’s industrial heritage, the design employs a tactile palette of cork, aluminum, and sycamore to create a coworking environment that feels like a welcoming home away from home.
About Common Knowledge
Transforming the Conventional: Common Knowledge
In 2024, THISS Studio, a London-based design firm, embarked on a mission to challenge the norms of the music industry. Their goal? To create a vibrant and flexible social hub that feels like a home away from home.
Adaptable Spaces, Sustainable Solutions
Embracing limitations as opportunities, THISS Studio collaborated with Mitre and Mondays to develop a series of modular, demountable furniture pieces. These custom-designed elements, crafted from local and sustainable materials like cork, aluminium, and sycamore, allow the space to adapt to the evolving needs of its users. By considering the lifespan and commercial usage of these furnishings, the design team ensured the long-term sustainability of the project.
Honouring the Past, Embracing the Future
The architectural approach was equally thoughtful. The former warehouse’s sweeping brick facade was left untouched, paying homage to the building’s heritage. Inside, the design team meticulously restored and retrofitted the third and fourth floors, blending functionality and imagination. The exposed white-painted joists and rafters, complemented by expansive glazing, create a bright and airy atmosphere, while the carefully selected materials, such as cork and aluminium, offer superior acoustic performance.
A Harmonious Blend of Elements
The interiors seamlessly integrate custom-designed features, including a central communal cork table, bespoke sails suspended from a sage green steel frame, and freestanding aluminium bench seats with red upholstered cushions. These elements, crafted with attention to detail, establish a cohesive and welcoming atmosphere, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among music professionals and recording artists.
Acoustic Perfection and Artistic Expression
The highlight of the project is the triple-aspect recording studio, designed in collaboration with Noatune. Acoustically isolated and featuring a range of sound-absorbing materials, the studio offers a conducive environment for songwriting and production. Surrounded by exposed brick and dark pine joinery, the recording space exudes a sense of comfort and creativity, allowing artists to feel at home in their workspace.
A Harmonious Fusion of Design and Function
Through its innovative approach to space planning, material selection, and custom-designed elements, Common Knowledge by THISS Studio presents a compelling vision for the future of the music industry. By creating a vibrant, flexible, and sustainable social hub, the design team has challenged the preconceptions associated with the field, paving the way for a more inclusive and inspiring workspace.
Photography by Henry Woide
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