Container Artist Studios, Krowji

Following a devastating fire in 2021 that destroyed fifteen studios at Krowji in Redruth, Artel31 was appointed to lead the redevelopment of the impacted site at Cornwall’s largest creative hub.

The result is a bold, sustainable response: a new cluster of modular studios constructed from repurposed shipping containers. Designed to meet the needs of messy and noisy creative practices — ceramics, sculpture, woodworking, sound art — the new studios extend Krowji’s offer while embracing a robust, adaptable, and energy-conscious design language.

Each studio is built with longevity and flexibility in mind. Features include MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery), high levels of insulation, photovoltaic panels, and passive solar strategies to reduce operational energy demand. Glazed doors and full-width windows provide generous natural light, with many studios opening onto dedicated outdoor workspaces.

The buildings are configured to allow a range of internal layouts and tenant-specific adaptations, supported by shared access to amenities such as kitchens, accessible toilets, and external gathering spaces. Landscape enhancements support biodiversity and improve the overall experience of the site.

Artel31 provided full architectural and project management services from concept to completion, working closely with the client and specialist consultants to deliver a resilient and low-impact solution. The studios opened in 2025 and are now fully operational, supporting a new wave of creative practitioners in Cornwall.

Funds awarded to Krowji by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, which is managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Photography by Charles Emerson

A person wearing protective gear, including a helmet and apron, stands in a workshop, carefully placing or removing an object from a glowing kiln. Shelves with tools and materials line the workspace.

Interior view of a creative workshop with tools neatly arranged on a pegboard and a workbench, alongside an exterior shot of the Krowji arts centre showing modern classroom buildings, courtyard, and surrounding greenery in Cornwall
Exterior view of a multi-window institutional building with a courtyard, surrounded by trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A person working at a desk inside a blue container-like structure, visible through an open window. The desk is cluttered with papers and tools, and the interior has industrial features such as exposed pipes and lighting fixtures
Aerial view of a courtyard with several building roofs covered in solar panels, paved walkways, benches, greenery, and a loading bay marked with KEEP CLEAR text on the ground.

Sustainable Measures

Reclaimed construction materials

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR)

Photovoltaic panels

Passive solar gain regulation/orientation studies undertaken during design

Minimised lifetime carbon

Minimal internal structure to allow future alteration

High insulation levels (low U and Y values)

Biodiverse landscaping

Social accessibility design principles

Long term economic viability

Architectural rendering of a modern building complex featuring a mix of flat and pitched roof structures. The foreground shows a contemporary building with large windows, while the background includes a larger, uniform building with multiple windows. Trees line the right side, and birds are flying in a partly cloudy sky.

Krowji Container Artist Studios
Cornwall