The Hive

Built in the early 1960s on the busy Finchley Road, a former post office at the corner of a parade of shops and flats has been transformed into The Hive, a youth community hub and advice facility.

Ash Sakula was commissioned to collaborate closely with young people to design and deliver the project.

The aim was to provide a space where local teenagers can access counselling, sexual health services, employment advice and training, as well as study, take part in activities or simply hang out. Not only did the project rejuvenate a run-down building and create much-needed community space, it has also bolstered local young people by getting them involved in the process.

Richard Lewis, Director of Commissioning at Camden Council said, "To have the amount of activity that’s going to be here in a small space is an amazing achievement. The main open space with its curtained-off cinema is a real triumph. To be able to do that and have it co-designed by young people at the same time seems like a really tricky thing to have pulled off. It's functional but also welcoming and you don't often see buildings being able to do the two things at once. It’s designed by young people for young people: they’ve helped design it and that is what is so fantastic about it."