East Street Arts

"A unique design and community-driven approach."

■ Client

↣ East Street Arts

■ Type

↣ Culture

■ JMA+

↣ Interior design

■ Location

↣ Leeds

We were invited by East Street Arts to provide design and consultancy for a new reception space at the heart of their new Art Hostel in Leeds city centre. Working in collaboration with RCA graduate and Leeds University Fellow Akeelah Bertram, our goal was to repurpose the reception space of a heritage building to be converted into an Art Hostel that reflected the transitory nature of people joining, extending, and transforming a community.

To achieve this, we combined Akeelah's artistic practice with Julian's approach to social space design to create an entrance that provided an inviting introduction to the Art Hostel. Our primary focus was to use upcycled materials such as acrylic, glass, wood, and metals in the design. Our initial design included a refraction wall: a wall of refractive sculptures that people can turn to create new pathways and patterns in the light.

Since the completion of the project, the building has been featured in various publications, highlighting its unique design and community-driven approach. The Art Hostel space has become a popular destination for artists and creatives looking for a space to work, collaborate, and connect.