London is home to some of the most dynamic and inspiring creative hubs in the world, each with its own history, ethos, and community.
Among them are Missionworks in Hammersmith, Oru in East Dulwich and Sutton, and House of Creative in Angel and Shoreditch, but with new community-focused creative coworking spaces popping up all the time, how do you decide which is right for you?
In this guide, Emily Udell from Soul Spaces, one of London’s top office search and office design and build companies, looks at what Soul Spaces consider some of the best creative workspaces in the city: Tileyard in King’s Cross — the place to be for music industry professionals — Greenwich’s purpose-built Design District, and the artsy Netil House in vibrant east London.
Tileyard London: Creative Office Spaces Near King’s Cross
Tileyard Road, London, N7 9AH
Tucked away on Tileyard Road — just a twenty-minute walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras International stations — is a thriving musical community home to more than 250 independent artists and businesses. Among Tileyard’s residents are the likes of Lily Allen, Mark Ronson, and Guy Sigsworth. Music technology companies Ableton, Focusrite, Spitfire Audio, and Vochlea — to name but a few — also have offices at the site.
With the majority of Tileyard-based companies and creatives being in the music industry, the site houses over 150 recording and production studios kitted out with an array of state-of-the-art equipment. But Tileyard isn’t just for musicians; all kinds of businesses thrive at the site, from graphic design and marketing agencies, to fashion brands, TV production companies, and everything in between, providing exciting opportunities for cross-industry collaboration.
Tileyard’s over 200 office spaces each come with high-speed internet, access to kitchen facilities, and 24/7 security, with an on-site café, wellness centre, bike storage, parking, showers, and a free shuttle bus to King’s Cross and Caledonian Road available too. Tileyard can accommodate both freelancers and creative teams of all sizes, and often brings together budding entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals, fostering unique artistic partnerships.
Coal Drops Yard — with its monthly Japanese market and varied selection of bars, coffee shops, and quirky independent homeware and gift shops — is just a stone’s throw away, making it the perfect spot for lunchtime hangouts with fellow creative professionals. If you’re looking to immerse yourself or your team in a truly uplifting and supportive creative environment, Tileyard London is just the place. Or, if you’re based further north, Tileyard has a Wakefield site, granting its West Yorkshire residents access to the same world-class facilities as can be found at its London site.
Design District: Purpose-Built Workspaces in Greenwich
13 Soames Walk, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0AX
With an eye to providing accessible workspaces for creative professionals, London’s first purpose-built design district opened on the Greenwich Peninsula in September 2021, and is set across sixteen one-of-a-kind buildings designed by eight leading architects. Design District’s architects were briefed to create spaces that they themselves would enjoy working in, which resulted in light, airy workspaces with high ceilings and a focus on natural ventilation.
Design District now supports a thriving ecosystem of more than 170 creative businesses and organisations, including award-winning design studios, innovative startups, and pioneering arts charities. Workspaces are offered at a fair price, with state-of-the-art facilities typically out of reach for individuals and smaller businesses, such as 3D printing, laser cutting, photography spaces, and podcasting studios. The site caters for large businesses and individuals alike, with the option to rent out an entire floor on a monthly rolling contract, or a single desk on an even more flexible basis.
As for amenities, Design District has a bookable rooftop basketball court, an all-day restaurant, bar, and café — where members benefit from 10% off — and a food hall serving up street food from a number of independent vendors. There’s also an auditorium available for hire (with a capacity of 60), complete with floor-to-ceiling windows. Nearby are the O2 Arena, NOW Gallery, and Greenwich Peninsula Golf, with North Greenwich tube station just three minutes away on foot.
Design District residents and directors of marketing agency Albert Penn described the site as their ‘second home’. They commented: ‘Here we’re among hard working, going-against-the-grain entrepreneurs who see life in a similar way. It’s a community where we can lean on each other and learn from one another’.
Eat Work Art’s Netil House: Creative Community in the heart of Hackney
1 Westgate Street, Hackney, E8 3RL
Eat Work Art was established in 2009 with the aim of transforming disused buildings into empowering workspaces designed to inspire creativity and innovation — in the words of Louise Wellby, former Head of Communications at Eat Work Art, ‘we’re not just space providers; we’re creative incubators.’ Today, Eat Work Art has multiple locations across London and two in Devon, but Netil House, their flagship Hackney site, is where it all started.
Just off Mare Street, the once-derelict Netil House — a former 1960s office block — has become something of an east London landmark over the last fifteen years, and is now home to architects, ceramicists, jewellers, musicians, filmmakers and more. Not long ago, Soul Spaces placed record label FAMM at Netil House, securing them a £12,000 annual rent reduction, and they continue to support similarly creative businesses in finding their ideal workspace.
Like FAMM, current Netil House residents Earthrise, a digital media company, have really thrived at the site: ‘We’re so thrilled with our experience that we recently expanded our presence by leasing a second studio within the building.’
They added that ‘being a part of Netil House has truly been transformative for our business. We love the location, the light that pours in every day and the creative community around us.’
Likewise, multi-disciplinary artist Jason Bruges highlights the site’s collaborative spirit: ‘It’s nice to have neighbours and a strong support network at Netil House. It’s a relaxed environment with a strong sense of community and most people around us have a creative enterprise which is nice to be a part of.’
Amenities at Netil House include Netil360 — Hackney’s very own rooftop bar and pizza restaurant — with access to saunas, plunge pools, and showers at Netil Corner (Eat Work Art’s adjacent site). Communal kitchens, bike storage, a recently-opened coworking space, and the usual meeting rooms, private booths, and breakout areas are among facilities available at the site. Offices and studios at Netil House range from 75 to 2500 sq ft in size. Eat Work Art’s flagship site is just five minutes from Broadway Market, ten minutes from London Fields Lido, and a short cycle from Hackney Road, with its art galleries, bakeries, vintage shops, and wine bars.
With options like these, the challenge isn’t finding a creative workspace in London; it’s choosing which one best fits your needs. Whether you’re just starting out as a freelancer and looking to grow your community, the owner of a budding startup, or on the hunt for a creative hub for your established team of employees, London’s diverse creative scene has something for everyone, offering endless opportunities to connect, collaborate, and create.
Could Tileyard be your new home for 2025? Does Greenwich’s Design District sound like it might be a better fit? Or is Eat Work Art’s Netil House more what you’re after?
Get in touch, and a member of Soul Spaces’ friendly team will give you a call to chat all things creative office space.
- Emily Udell
