We recently introduced Hide, a new collection of design-led flats on Hackney Road, overlooking Haggerston Park. Artform, the people behind the project, have turned their backs on the conventional typology of new-build luxury flats in London, opting instead to create spaces that are tactile, crafted and which engage local business and craftspeople.

Here, we’re getting to know some of the makers, designers and artisans behind the project by profiling their work and hearing first-hand what it was like to work on Hide.

Artform
“The opportunity to create something as special as Hide doesn’t come about every day. Just a few steps behind Hackney Road, in a quiet corner of Haggerston Park, we found the spot. Where the sounds of the city faded behind rushing leaves and the grazing animals next door. We fell in love with this secluded setting, with the surrounding greenery, wildlife and beautiful former church standing tall in the courtyard. All this and still on the doorstep of Columbia Road, Broadway Market and The City itself.

“Artform’s collective adoration for East London, borne out of our work in the area for a number of years, has been epitomised in Hide. We’ve sought out and collaborated with a host of local artisans and skilled craftspeople in order to ground the project firmly in its place, all of whom share our vision to build a collection of homes that differ from the average multi-unit scheme. Bringing each piece of the puzzle together, from the interior designers to the cabinet makers, has been an unforgettable experience.”

Manalo & White
“Manalo & White designed the Hide buildings to form a unified sculpted pair which comfortably frame St Augustine’s Church. Behind the carefully controlled exterior, no two apartments are the same, with all of them enjoying unique qualities of light and space. The generous interior layouts are configured to maximise the potential of the site and the views to Haggerston Park.”

Scenesmith, interior architect & designer
“At Hide we found interest in navigating the junction between tranquil farmyard and bustling high street. We played with this juxtaposition of rural urbanity and it gave fruit to the entire natural, yet raw, palette you find at Hide,” says Scenesmith, an interior design studio who use spaces to tell stories.

“The materiality of the volume is clay-like and warm as if worked from the ground. The true integrity of each element is laid bare, much like you’ll find on the farm. There was an intentional honesty that drove all details, from architectural decisions to the recycled wool fabrics on the headboard. By engaging with the rich habitat of creators in the immediate area we allowed collaboration to fuel the process, resulting in a very mindfully-made place.”

Lozi, bespoke plywood furniture
Given that their studio is within eye-shot of Hide, bespoke plywood furniture maker Lozi couldn’t be better placed to have worked on the project. But proximity is not the only reason they were chosen. Their immaculately constructed furniture, cabinetry and kitchens in retail and residential projects in London speak for themselves, and work seamlessly in the overall scheme at Hide.

Lozi founder Soroush Pourhashemi worked closely with Sophie from Scenesmith, carefully designing pieces that were not only luxurious but also warm and welcoming. “Inspired by the proximity to Hackney City Farm, Sophie tasked us with creating pieces that reflected the building’s location, nestled in a heaven of greenery at the centre of a busy modern city. To do so, we contrasted traditional finishes like luxurious and unexpected cherry veneer with the high-tech nature of plywood (and especially curved plywood), all of which was designed, manufactured and built by our young team of designer-makers,” they say.

Altrock
Neo-terrazzo bathroom surfaces at Hide come by way of Altrock, an inventive outfit that turns offcuts of the marble industry into a contemporary-looking material. The colourways available are myriad, as are its uses -– tables, worktops, bathrooms and much more.

The Watermark Collection, artisanal brassware
The Watermark Collection source vintage machinery to get their signature hand-beaten feel imbued into each one of their faucets and taps, the design of which is inspired by the industrial architecture and neo-Georgian facades of the neighbourhood in Brooklyn, New York, where they are made. Artform selected an understated white matte finish to highlight the terracotta porcelain tiles in Hide’s bathrooms; the restricted palette making for a quiet partner to the surrounding materials.

“The team at Hide were interested in the recyclable nature of our products,” says The Watermark Collection, pointing to the fact that any waste metal that comes from the manufacturing process is re-used, and the end result can be fully recycled.