AKK Studios, a collaborative comprised of (and named after) three artists—sculptor Kevin Francis Gray, artist Keith Coventry and artist/collector Alireza Abrishamchi—has teamed up with local London architects Fourthspace to create a four-story studio complex.

Located in the old Stuart Shave/Modern Art gallery space, the studio sits on Vyrner Street, a thriving hub of the east London art scene. The architects, who also own a nearby Venetian restaurant on Vyrner as well, were familiar with their artist-clients from the local Hackney area. Each artist has taken over one floor of the building, while Fourthspace has transformed the top floor into their new office space. 

The new studios have been tailored to the specific needs of each artist, with design elements that reflect their individual craft. For instance, the renowned Irish sculptor, Kevin Francis Gray, was given a bespoke kitchen wrapped in marble mined from the same quarry he uses in his sculptures, while artist Keith Coventry has pieces of his own art-work built into the fabric of the cladding of the terrace.

For the project, Fourthspace had to work with the pre-existing low-level Victorian building, renovating it into a four-story complex. To do so, the architects decided to preserve the original brick façade, stripping back the original interior that was in poor condition and installing a new steel framework. Two additional floors were also added to the building and clad in dark zinc.

Fourthspace is currently working on another project in the area, building a studio for artists Michael Landy & Gillian Wearing at 60-62 Vyner. Both projects are shifting the life of Vyner Street from an area once famous for its galleries to one now attracting working studios for renowned artists, makers, architects and designers. Steve Sinclair, Co-founder and Director of Fourthspace Studios said of the project: “The main drive behind AKK Studios was to make spaces for the artists to enjoy working in...We love working in the same building as such talented artists and we feel we have enhanced Vyner Street and its community.”