London has long been a city of manufacturing, once dubbed the workshop of the world. While other cities in the UK became known for particular types of industries, the capital was full of diverse types of making, with easy access to the best markets and a skilled labour force. Things have now changed and we’re seeing manufacturing moving to the edges of the city or even further afield, which means that London is losing skills and proximity to the goods it needs to survive. 

However, all is not lost. Local government is aware that once you convert industrial land to something else, it’s almost impossible to go back. Some protections are coming into place but it’s hard to turn back the tide of development. Can we instead co-locate manufacturing with other types of uses, including homes, shops and workspaces? What innovative new forms of industrial buildings could help us to make the most of the limited space left in the capital? 

Haworth Tompkins will host the London Society for an evening discussion about the future of industrial land in London. Their Industria project demonstrates how we can push the design of manufacturing to new heights. They will be joined by representatives from the worlds of development, government and planning to understand the kind of city we wish to make. 

Confirmed speakers: Caroline Harper, BeFirst; Andy Harding, AH Consulting; Graham Haworth, Haworth Tompkins; and Ian Turner, Segro.  Chair Holly Lewis, We Made That

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