Livesey Exchange (London Borough of Southwark)

The Old Kent Road is a historic high street and for centuries has been one of the key arteries into the centre of London. Major development in the neighbourhood is underway: more than 9,500 homes have been granted detailed planning permission, more than in any other area in the capital. In addition, major transport infrastructure will arrive through the Bakerloo Line extension which will provide better connections and access. With all this growth and change, participatory projects like LEX 2 are critical to give voice and authorship to local communities, to build community capacity and authentic relationships and to cement their place in the future of their neighbourhood.   

Genuine community co-design takes time. It also takes community leadership and strong partnership working with funders, the council and the community. LEX 2 was an idea conceived by local resident Nicholas Okwulu who is also the founder of social enterprise, Pempeople. Working with local architect Ulrike Steven, a resident of Old Kent Road and co-founder of what if: projects, Pempeople began testing community workspace uses and events across council owned assets in 2015. Their ambition was to see a welcoming, community-driven space that helps unlock the energy, talent and skills of local residents with a particular focus on mentoring the community and supporting young people.

Fast forward seven years of hard work, the group secured a 15-year lease to develop LEX 2, a two-storey community facility delivered by a diverse team of small companies, including BAME-led contractors and an LGBTQ+-led architecture practice. Southwark Council played a critical role in facilitating the project, committing resources and acting as accountable body for the GLA grant funding to nurture and build the capacity of the group, enabling Livesey Exchange to maintain client leadership in the project.   

Sustainability was a critical consideration for the LEX2 project and, through the use of building information modelling (BIM), the contractor was able to minimise the amount of construction waste. In addition, cast-concrete floors with underfloor heating on both floors are powered by an air source heat pump, while the scheme has a ‘blue roof’ that reduces rainwater run-off from the site.

As well as the foundations and underground services for phase two, the first phase includes:    

• Four large spaces, available for hire
• A pop-up café with a seating area
• A commercial kitchen
• A large mixed-use events space, available for all types of uses including training, meetings and community events.

The journey for Livesey Exchange continues, with approval secured for additional funding under DLUHC’s Future High Streets Fund to allow completion of phase two. 

The next phase will deliver further community space and maker spaces, plus ancillary facilities.  It is anticipated to be completed in 2024.  Overall, 40 per cent of all workspace on the site will be let at discounted rates.

Client: Livesey Exchange

Project Operator: PemPeople

Project Manager: Wendy Cummins - Uphive Projects

Local Authority: Southwark Council

Architect: what if: projects

Structural engineer: Techniker (RIBA stages 0-4)

M&E consultant: Max Fordham

Quantity Surveyor: Stockdale

Acoustic consultant: Max Fordham

Main contractor: Two Work