Jack Harries and Alice Aedy live in a converted shoe factory. The couple—who are climate activists, filmmakers, and founders of the media company Earthrise Studio—purchased it through The Modern House. “The character of the building really drew us in,” they explain. “We knew that with some attention and repair it would make a perfect live-work studio.”
Above: Jack Harries and Alice Aedy in work mode.
That attention was bestowed upon it by Studio McW. “We found Studio McW online and immediately connected with their projects,” says Jack. “We liked their approach to natural materials and focus on creating functional spaces. We had a challenging brief to create a multidisciplinary space that could be a home, a place to entertain and a functioning film and photography studio, but Studio McW have gone above and beyond to deliver our dream space.”
We take a tour:
Above: Part of a historic shoe factory built in 1924, the buildings’ original features included large steel windows and trusses, exposed concrete beams, and a double-height pitched roof with overhead glazing.
Their brief was simple and the deadline tight (work began in November 2020, and was mostly complete by May 2021). The couple needed a practical layout across both floors— including plentiful storage, a sociable kitchen space and a utility area. “We live and work in the flat, so we wanted a space where we could host our team each week, record podcasts and interviews, spend time with friends and enjoy quiet moments,” Alice explains. “We also wanted to restore the original warehouse character in a very respectful yet modern way, so we incorporated natural and salvaged materials where possible.”
Above: The entrance to the former shoe factory in Hackney, East London. 
Above: The communal stairwell. 
Above: The glowing entryway to Earthrise Studio. 
Above: Studio McW began at entrance level by opening up the existing partitioned bedroom and dressing room to create a large aperture to draw light through the new glazed internal wall to the bathroom and utility space. 
Above: Heading up, reclaimed timber stairs lead up to an open plan living space. Custom black mild steel balustrade allows light to travel between levels.
