STEP 7: ORGANISE YOUR SPACE

Start with a visioning meeting with your group, to discuss what you would like to see or create in the space, or what groups you already have in your project and what are their space requirements. What goes into each space will also depend on the size of space you have , how many rooms, what your lease allows etc.

Start in a smaller part of the building and expand out. For example you had a 3 story office block with 6 rooms per floor. You could start in reception and then have a cafe one side and an art gallery the other. Slowly expanding to other rooms as needed for cinema, bike or computer repair, theatre rehearsals, or whatever the local community suggests or would like to set up. Offer low cost rooms to local groups, projects and eco enterprise start ups. All of our centres for 30 years have operated on a sliding scale.

Space preparation: Depending on the condition of the building you may need the first 1-2+ months to prepare the space for opening, set up, building, renovating, painting, fire safety, risk assessments, repairs and maintenance etc

Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) : Make sure that the building owners provide you with an up to date Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) and bear the cost of this before you move in. There must be a new fire risk assessment done as soon as a new group takes on a premises. So make sure this is arranged in your lease negotiation and you get your FRA done immediately upon moving in just after the premises owners FRA has been done. So there is little change or expense to your group. This can be a costly and time consuming process. So get it sorted asap from the start. Ask the network and friendly professionals/ HNS company to help and support.

Open Gradually : Start doing just 1 or 2 days a week, say a cafe or cinema night are easy events. A cinema night is as simple as borrowing a projector and scheduling a few weeks ahead an environmental/ community themed film. Maybe small talks or workshops or art exhibitions are simple starters. As more people come in and get involved you can expand to 2nd and 3rd nights onwards. Move at the pace and speed your group is comfortable with. If you have a strong team with many working groups you may choose to go for it and start opening 3 – 5+ days per week. However its is good to build in at least 1-2+ days off for rest and regeneration. Build from strong foundations gradually upwards.

7.1 The size / type of property – determines what sort of spaces you can set up eg you could be in a warehouse, high street shop, old department store, church, post office, library, supermarket, industrial unit, garden centre, old school or college etc The main things you need are a larger space for meetings or events and some smaller rooms for workshops, office or smaller activities.

7.2 Incorporate some ideas for the space from the following list.

Main hall / Events/ workshop space : usually one of the main or biggest spaces – talks, workshops, skillshares, meetings, open mic, music nights, parties, theatre, rehearsals, cinema nights, conferences, dance classes, educational spaces. What do you and the local community want to create? Gather suggestions from your meetings.
Gallery : Arts and crafts invite – local artist groups and students / universities to exhibit. There are artists in every area needing space to create and exhibit, arrange an exhibition timetable. Contacting local Colleges and University arts groups can link up a long list of future gallery bookings.
Cafe : needs nearby water source and sink, wipeable surfaces, check HNS/ fire exits. There are a number of regulations regarding cafes and food so do your own research. On the simplest level we have done self service tea or coffee for donations for years.
Library : start with a shelf of books and watch it grow. Appeal for books and volunteers. The Friern Barnet Library project went from 0 – 6,000 books in a few weeks.
Bike workshop – help local community repair bikes, create a bike share scheme. Retrofit electric bikes, cargo / bike trailers etc 1 bike = 1 less car !!
Arts / Creative Space – filled with paints and artistic resources. An art factory of possibility. Good for all ages to express and create.
Cinema – The easiest event to start with a video projector, choose conscious films, world cinema and inspirational, entertaining, activist, community and ecological films. Invite independent / student filmmakers / groups to show and tell.
Caretaker space
Info/networking area : table of leaflets, magazines, info rack, multimedia screens.
Computer / tech area : Internet cafe, order the fastest broadband asap, once you know you have signed the lease and will be getting a building. It takes a long time, sometimes 1-2 months to arrive.
Garden – start as soon as possible. Creates a feeling of longevity. Permaculture, Roof Garden, set up a water collection system.Fill the CEC with plants.
Solar wind or renewable energy Gym area – assess roof top then floor by floor, step down electric use until the whole building is run on renewables. Get an energy audit and drawdown electric use and utility bills.
FreeShop /swap shop : resource sharing rack of clothes sort into labelled boxes and areas. All of our projects for 30 years had a FREE SHOP Area. Recycling, reuse and circular economy in action.
Zero Waste Shop : create your own zero waste shop.
Eco Business Incubator : co working space for start ups that agree to ethical and sustainable policy of the CEC. Start ups can be provided with a list of eco friendly suppliers and services and agreements to work toward eco principles and reducing carbon footprint, ethical sourcing and human rights. Check https://www.solve.earth for Eco Entrepreneur support.
Maker Space : printers, 3D printers, power tools, drills, lathes, chop saws, computer aided design etc Sharing Tools, machines, skills and resources.
Solution Zone Area: aim to display as many sustainable solutions as possible in all aspects of the CEC Housing, energy, agriculture, transport, food etc. Create practical working examples eg wind, solar, bike generators, human gym energy, reuse of materials and resources, upcycling. Permaculture gardens, roof gardens, insulation, water collection, community currency, food, recycling, composting/soil creation, bike transport/lift sharing, tool libraries etc etc
Kids Area : kids MUST be accompanied by parents or designated carers. (Please do your own research there are legal issues on unaccompanied minors DBS check etc ) Creating an area with some toys etc – best to let mums and dads / parents groups to self organise.

Repair cafe : repair, reuse and upcycle older equipment. https://repaircafe.org/en/

Do an Environmental Assessment of space, how much electricity and water use and how to improve / reduce use of resources, fit lower energy bulbs/devices, insulation, water saving systems, fit renewable energy systems etc.