Project Team
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HillCross Furniture, Arlo & Jacob, Ted Todd, Clay Works, Detale, Shopatseed, COAT paints, Soulspace, O&D Construction
Text provided by Raw Clay
The Boathouse is a three-storey building on the banks of the River Wey in Guildford, which was completed in 2023. Purpose-built in the style of an old boat house, it is home to Soulspace, a new co-working and events concept; and The Boathouse Cafe, a relaxed riverside restaurant.
Creative studio Raw Clay was tasked with creating an identity and interior scheme that would work in harmony with the building’s beautiful natural surroundings and the people using the space – creating a nurturing environment that would allow people to work, gather, and grow. The river became central to the scheme, with each level of the building being inspired by another layer of its surroundings – river bed, water, and upwards to the tree canopy.
The brief was to use only sustainable materials throughout the space – specifying finishes that would age and weather with patina and character, making the feeling of ‘soul’ tangible. The supply chain still isn’t established for sustainable interior design, so Raw Clay chose to design a large number of pieces for The Boathouse themselves, including tables, desks, seating and lighting. The studio focused on creating pieces that could be made by artisans rather than factories, and that were made from singular natural materials.
