Project Brief For Clerkenwell Design Week, the Museum of Making was conceived as a temporary, site-specific installation celebrating craft, process, and shared knowledge within the public realm. Designed as an open yet defined structure, the project created a physical framework for workshops, demonstrations, and informal exchange, drawing on Clerkenwell’s long-standing connection to making, industry, and material culture.

Challenge The challenge was to design a structure that could operate simultaneously as architecture, exhibition, and social space. It needed to feel accessible and inviting while providing shelter, definition, and flexibility for a constantly changing programme. Positioned within a dense urban context and active festival environment, the installation had to be robust, clearly legible, and capable of withstanding continuous public interaction over the course of the event.

My Role I developed the spatial concept, 3D design, engineering, and fabrication of the Museum of Making, translating the idea of craft into a buildable, modular system. Working from concept through to delivery, I designed and engineered the structure using Equitone cladding panels, resolving detailing, fixings, and assembly logic to ensure the installation could be efficiently fabricated, transported, and installed while maintaining a strong material presence.

Results & Impact The installation became an active focal point during Clerkenwell Design Week, supporting hands-on making, learning, and community interaction. By uniting design, engineering, and fabrication into a single process, the project demonstrated how temporary architecture can meaningfully engage the public, turning making itself into both the subject and the experience. It stands as an example of how thoughtful spatial design can activate the city and give form to collective creativity.

photographer Joanne Underhill structuraleye.co.uk