Does this House look like a Workplace?
By Jonathan Turney
On the face of it, not much happens in Downhead Park. The streets are quiet and the place gives you the impression that no one is home.
However, behind the quiet facades, there is a hidden vitality created by virtual businesses and anonymous offices.Below, the websites and Head Quarters for Penny’s Therapies, SUYA African BarBQ and Ology Consulting.
Mapping Downhead Park’s home businesses reveals a camouflaged suburban business park.
Comparing Downhead Park MK with the Upper East Side NYC
How does Downhead Park compare with Manhattan’s “culture of congestion”? Mixed-use, diverse, the apogee of urban living…
There are actually interesting similarities between Downhead Park and the Upper East Side. Residences subtly reveal themselves as businesses – in this case an art gallery.
And similar apartment facades hide diverse interiors.
Downhead Park. De-Centralized Business District?
Increasing numbers of people work from home. In the midst of the credit crunch, many businesses will be looking at cutting costs, downsizing – moving the business to an existing property is an option.
How would it affect our residential communities if the home-workers were more visible?
What would happen if planning rules were changed to allow any adaptations for business purposes?
How would our suburbs react to becoming new De-Centralized Business Districts (DCB’s)?
Here the house currently hiding SUYA African BarBQ is extended to provide a new public restaurant. How else might we enable people to extend their homes to make public value out of private speculation. Can we create a “mosaic of episodes” in amongst the calm of our suburban streets?
