Bridge House

Date : 1992

This founding project was established in Ladbroke Grove, west London after a series of vibrant short-term gallery projects on Portobello Road. The project ran for 8 months over the summer providing community and events space on the site for the surrounding tower blocks of Latimer Road and played host to a broad spectrum of activities from kids parties and OAP days to art exhibitions and music events.

The site was a problem property for Kensington housing trust and the Artspace Lifespace turned the dilapidated site into a thriving multi use arts creation centre for the summer of 92.

Situated between the tube line, the Westway motorway and the tower blocks of Latimer Road the project drew on the rich creative community of Portobello Rd market attracting hundreds of artists to come and participate in shows alongside a community program of events from children’s parties to old age pensioners days.

The projects aim was to acknowledge and develop the relationship of the thousands of artists who were attracted to Portobello as a creative hub and the local community they then became a part of.

Part of the site remained a community resource in the final development and the project served to bring creative and community issues to the forefront at a crucial time when the whole area was in a period of redevelopment.