Container Art Studios

Artel31 used repurposed shipping containers to rebuild creative workspace at Krowji in Cornwall, bringing adaptable studios and shared outdoor spaces back to the site after a fire.
The new studios sit within Krowji’s existing creative campus.
Photography: Charles Emerson. Architecture and project management: Artel31.

The project

A new chapter for Krowji

A fire in 2021 destroyed fifteen studios at Krowji, the creative hub in Redruth. Artel31 led the redevelopment of the affected area, creating a new cluster of studios from repurposed shipping containers. The studios opened in 2025.

Practice: ARTEL31
Year: 2025
Building levels: 1
Photographer: Charles Emerson
Design: ARTEL31
Levels: 1

An artist at work inside a container studio.
Photography: Charles Emerson. Architecture and project management: Artel31.

Space for making

The spaces support creative practices that can be messy or noisy, including ceramics, sculpture, woodworking and sound art. Glazed doors, full-width windows and dedicated outdoor workspaces connect the studios with the shared landscape.

Tools and materials line the walls of a working studio.
Photography: Charles Emerson. Architecture and project management: Artel31.

Container studios open onto shared outdoor workspace.
Photography: Charles Emerson. Architecture and project management: Artel31.

Designed for changing uses

The scheme combines insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, photovoltaic panels and passive solar strategies. Adaptable interiors and shared kitchens, accessible toilets and gathering spaces support different tenants and ways of working.