Company’s street level events venue and meeting suite has launched at east London’s Water Street
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The ability to see what isn’t yet there, is arguably Broadwick’s talent as a company.
Having built a portfolio of festivals, the business took a change of direction in 2019, opting to focus on physical event spaces.
Its current portfolio boasts a plethora of venues, many of which are spread across Docklands and east London.
These include the purpose-built temporary structure Magazine on Greenwich Peninsula, former warehouse Dock X in Canada Water and The Beams and Silverworks Island at Royal Docks – one a former industrial sugar store and the other a vast outdoor show ground with Millennium Mills as a backdrop.
While all are essentially blank canvas spaces, they also have something else about them. Magazine looks out over the Thames with Canary Wharf in the background, Dock X sits at the heart of a massive regeneration scheme, The Beams is beside one of Tate & Lyle’s sugar factories and Silverworks boasts an astounding view of Docklands structures past and present.
While clients are free to brand and mould the spaces exactly how they want, the venues are also of and in their surroundings, granting them potent identities all of their own.
A visitor might watch a drone show outside at Magazine, but they’ll remember the little craft soaring above the Canary Wharf skyline in the shadow of The O2.
Typically, the vibe is modern, minimal and industrial. Nowhere was this more true than at Broadwick’s flagship venue Printworks London – with events taking place in the stripped-back press halls at Canada Water’s Harmsworth Quays.
Here, from 1989, Associated Newspapers’ publications rattled off enormous machines, 24-hours a day.
Originally intended only for temporary events use, it proved so successful as a venue, that developer British Land is currently in the process of making it a permanent part of its regeneration of the area.
Which brings us to Broadwick Studio, the company’s latest space.
With Printworks out of action as works are carried out, the company needed a new home and relocated to offices at 30 Water Street on Wood Wharf.
“When development started we began looking for a new space – we already had a great relationship with Canary Wharf as we were operating the East Wintergarden,” said Elisa Chiodi, Broadwick’s managing director for spaces, innovation and growth.
“We thought having our company here would be a great position to be in.
“We are an entertainment, space and culture organisation and it felt like a great addition to the mix of companies which are based here.
“We love it – it’s easy to get here.
“The team enjoys the fact the Wharf is full of restaurants and shops.
“It’s also that 30 Water Street is a very beautiful space – it’s very much us as a company.
“We always look for places that are Broadwick – we always try and find spaces we can turn into a good representation of who we are.
“We’re very minimalist and pared-back.
“We believe in energy and agility, so all of our spaces can be turned into almost anything at any moment.
“Being simple and flexible in everything we do is really important.
“We’re very open – nobody at Broadwick has an office, not even our CEO – and that works for us.
“We’re also very bold – when we make something, people know it’s us.”
Given that ethos, Wharfers won’t be too surprised to discover that the company has decided to launch a ground floor facility below its offices.
Broadwick Studio includes three meeting rooms and a main event space, with full height glass walls, which can more or less be used for anything.
“We want there to be a reason why people come to the places where we are,” said Elisa.
“We thought: ‘What better than a new venue at Wood Wharf?’.
“We’ve also found that Canary Wharf Group0 is really keen to work with us to have some community activities happening here – that new talent can use the space, perhaps artists, designers or musicians.
“We really have an open view on what will happen at Broadwick Studio.
“It could be a meeting space, host workshops, product launches, parties – anything.
“We want to work with all kinds of companies in all sorts of industries, as well as community groups which might be interested in using the space as well as businesses hosting events or Christmas parties.”
Located on the corner of Water Street and Charter Street opposite Tribe Hotel, Broadwick Studio can accommodate up to 120 people for a standing reception.
It includes a fully-kitted out kitchen, bathroom facilities and two points of access to help manage the flow of guests.
While minimal in design, looks can be deceptive as the venue comes with some lighting, AV equipment and screens.
“The idea is to make it as plug-and-play as possible,” said Tara Quish, sales and events manager at Broadwick, who previously worked in events for restaurant brand D&D.
“We are completely flexible. If someone wants to do something, then we want them to get in touch.
“If it’s something we haven’t done before, we’d love to find a way to make it happen.
“To make things simple, on-site furniture, event lighting and house production equipment is included with hire.
“That’s why we’ve decided to include a kitchen, to maximise what people can do in the space.
“You can even paint the walls if you like, so long as you paint them back.”
With an extensive track record of managing events across its portfolio, Broadwick is also well-placed to offer companies assistance in sourcing firms to cater and produce their events in the space if needed.
Vibration Production, for example, can be called on to provide a wide range of technical services.
But Broadwick is also keen to help the space become part of the fabric of its surroundings.
“The buildings at Wood Wharf have a very different feel to other parts of the estate,” said Elisa.
“It’s much more urban – and that’s one of the reasons we like being here – we are a very industrial kind of brand and this fits perfectly with what we do.
“We have been here for less than a year but it feels like home to us and that’s why we wanted to do something.
“One of the things that we want is for people to see what we do.
“We have a lot of clients who already want to use the space for branding opportunities – not just private events and it’s really well positioned for that.
“But we also want to talk to people who live locally and to local artists about what we might do when there isn’t an event running – how we might give their work some exposure.
“Is there some way we can use Broadwick Studio to showcase what they do?”
In addition to Broadwick Studio, the firm is also gearing up to relaunch the East Wintergarden in Bank Street.
Designed by architect Cesar Pelli – who was also responsible for One Canada Square – the building boasts a vaulted glass ceiling and sits overlooking West India South Dock.
Broadwick is set to officially reopen the venue in April as The Pelligon – a flexible space taking up to 1,000 people – this could be used for awards ceremonies, conferences, launches, filming, parties or weddings.
“It’s going to be something very different to how it’s been in the past,” said Elisa.
For now, it’s a case of watch this space, but Broadwick Studio is very much up and running already.
Those interested in booking an event at the space or collaborating with Broadwick should contact the firm for more details by calling 020 3725 6061.
Find out more about Broadwick here
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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
