Head Space Daily Words...

Head Space Daily has taken a back seat this past few months, due to work, which is a good thing, as you want to be working as a freelancer but life’s little extras have to be put to one side for a while. Working for different companies, in a variety of locations is always an interesting experience, as all companies are very different in all aspects of working life and where they are situated is a key factor.

In July I worked for a company in Shoreditch, which is a twenty-minute train ride from where I live. Shoreditch is one of my favourite places. It has a very old London feel, is defined by the culture of a large Bangladeshi population, and is a centre for creativity and technology - a classic London area of extreme diversity, where old meets new. Being disengaged in Shoreditch is not an option. Just open your eyes.

Following this spell out East, I ventured West to Kensington, for a week, which has a completely different feel. Unlike Shoreditch, it is an area that is dripping in money. The people are different; they have a certain look to them, possibly from the self-confidence which money and security bring. Incredibly expensive sports cars roll down the streets, not necessarily to look flash but because that is the way it is. This is not a problem, just different. Another mentality exists, people wear more expensive threads, they speak differently. Many inhabitants of Kensington will have received a certain type of education - that the majority of the population don’t have access to – that only money can buy. Personally I prefer the sense of community in Shoreditch but I imagine if you are settled in Kensington, you will feel you have a community spirit there – although from my experience of the place, it would be a less diverse and imaginative community. It is what you are used to but put it this way; I wouldn’t want to live in Kensington even if I was a millionaire – not that I dislike the area – it is just not me. I wouldn’t feel comfortable living there and I’m sure someone from Kensington would feel the same way about living out East, or in my case, South East. Like all areas of London though, Kensington is different and interesting and this is what makes the city continually exciting. It is always a pleasure to spend time working in Kensington but it is a different world.

Next up, for three months, I was located in a custom-built office complex in Chiswick. Designed by the architect Richard Rogers, on first view Chiswick Park appears to be a functional, fairly soulless, flat pack steel and glass workspace. After spending a lengthy amount of time there, you can see that a lot of thought has gone into making ‘The Park’ something more than a mere office location. The site has been extensively excavated and meticulously landscaped. The focal point and centrepiece is a water feature. A waterfall freely flows from a raised pool into a lower pool, which runs the length of the upper complex. Huge orange fish, which I am guessing are koi carp, swim around with their ginormous sad mouths glumly opening and closing. A wooden bridge crosses the water, giving you the chance to pause and take in the waterfall, which provides a naturally soothing sound - amongst the steel and glass - and is a pleasant noise to hear on a work break. There are some pretty amazing fully grown trees which have been transplanted on to the site, whilst massive rocks further add to the landscaped features. There is also a sports area, where games of netball played out throughout the summer months and bands performed during lunch hours. Events are run, such as a slightly random Alice in Wonderland day where girls dressed as the Queen of Hearts would skip over to ask if you knew the whereabouts of the The Mad Hatter, whilst staff from the offices glided on the water in novelty pedalos.

On a hot day, as the earth’s rotation causes the sun to drift across the sky, big yellow canopies are lowered to shield the office blocks’ windows from the suns glare. No doubt the task of lowering the canopies is looked after by members of the on site staff – a lively bunch of employees who wear yellow t-shirts or jackets with the words ENJOY – WORK emblazoned across the back, like a command to everyone who reads it. I wonder if they report you for not indulging in full work enjoyment?

It is easy to be cynical. This location is a contrived, sanitised, artificial set up but it is really well done and absolutely works. In fact work in general is fairly contrived, so the complex is only reflecting what it is there to support. Huge trees, not typical to the area, with enormous rocks and a freely flowing waterfall haven’t evolved naturally in West London but have been carefully planned and manufactured to produce an effective location in which to set a working environment. Great effort has gone in to the design and construction of the place to create a real sensory diversion from the daily grind and for people to be able to enjoy a breather from the office in positive surroundings.

Following my time out west, I went full circle and ended up back in Shoreditch for a week – exactly where I had started, finishing a journey which will hopefully be repeated.