The Tannery scoops RIBA prize

The Tannery, built as part of the regeneration of Old Kent Road, has won a RIBA London award for architecture.

The Tannery was built as part of the London Square Bermondsey development on the former Rich industrial estate, just off Old Kent Road.

As well as new homes, the scheme includes new studios, gallery and workspace designed for Southwark artists and the local community. Designed by Coffey Architects, The Tannery was praised by the RIBA judges for “a design that delivers delight, surprise, and a distinctive civic character”.

The Tannery provides a permanent home and new studio and gallery space for two arts organisations that have been part of the borough’s cultural scene for decades; Drawing Room (founded in 2002) and the broader, not-for-profit, Tannery Arts organisation, which has been based in Southwark since 1993 (having started in a warehouse on nearby Bermondsey Street). It is also home to Southwark Studios .

The Rich estate was once home to the famous Crosse and Blackwell pickle factory. The London Square scheme, which retains and incorporates many elements from its industrial past, has delivered 406 new homes, including 90 for social rent and a further 45 affordable homes.

The scheme is a good example of how Southwark Council ensures redevelopment doesn’t just deliver the new housing and workspace the borough needs but also delivers additional, social value; new facilities and amenities that will benefit the whole community.

Read more about the RIBA London award