The Recovery Hub Haggerston (2016)
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Design assistance and project management of The Recovery Hub in Haggerston for Studio Raw, commissioned by RAPt, (now named The Forward Trust).








The Recovery Hub occupies a small shop front in the heart of Haggerston to provide a welcoming and inclusive space for a diverse community that all share the common goal of overcoming an addiction. Working for Studio Raw alongside designer Jeff Lambert, I assisted in the design of the space and managed its renovation, working closely with the client and future users.

The project was commissioned by RAPt (now named The Forward Trust) and Russell Brand in a unique collaboration to provide localised support for those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. As the first recovery hub of its kind, we designed the space to be flexible to allow its function to change as the needs of its users evolve. The hub can facilitate workshops and group sessions alongside personal, one-on-one meetings.



We saw this project not only as an opportunity to create an intelligent, designed space but also to engage with the community for which we were designing. We wanted the end users to be part of its conceptualisation and production, not just its use.

With this in mind we hosted a furniture making workshop during which members worked alongside each other to fabricate the furniture for their future space. Not only was this a great opportunity for members to interact with each other, but also to learn and share skills in making and construction. The workshop aimed to give members more ownership and pride over the space by being part of its evolution. The furniture and fixtures were designed to be simple and utilitarian, using readily available materials and simple construction methods. This allows members to continue to fabricate their own pieces into the future increasing the longevity of the project.