Description

A humble seven storey concrete office block, which until the late 1990s claimed to be Southbank’s tallest building, has been transformed into a dynamic lab of progressive retail experiences that honour individuality, diversity and creative expression.

BETA is a revolutionary testing ground exploring the future of retail space, programming and new business models. BETA worked with boundary-pushing architecture collective Sibling to bring their spatial vision to life. As an ode to conscious design, BETA’s fit-out centres on circularity. They have repurposed and reused existing materials and objects within the building, speculating on a future where retail spaces embrace sustainability in innovative and daring ways. Combined with the use of environmentally-friendly bioplastics, soft furnishings and moveable partitions, the result is a chameleon conversion that allows for limitless layouts.

What's On

The audience can expect to be given a tour through various spaces within BETA By STH BNK's innovative retail concepts including The Future From Waste Lab, curated by designer Kit Willow, which is testing a more sustainable approach to fashion production. The fourth-floor ateliers host designers in residence, including algae expert Jessie French, Ella Saddington of craft studio Cordon Salon, and DNJ Paper, which makes clothing from traditional Japanese paper. Also on the fourth floor is concept store RE/Space, a functional retail space completely fabricated from second life materials found within BETA. The fifth floor is being used for a range of events.