A Caring Space: See how WOW!house’s 2023 charity partner put a donation to good use

Former WOW!house charity partner TP Caring Spaces has unveiled a new project, realised with a donation from the 2023 show. A side-project of interior design studio Turner Pocock , TP Caring Spaces’ aim is “to fill charitable spaces with great design,” and since its founding in 2020 it has breathed new life into places including the gynaecological ward staff respite room at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital, and Mencap Dunstable’s staff overnight room.

Its latest project is The Masbro Centre, a large community centre providing services and activities to local people in Hammersmith and Fulham. The venue has a wide-ranging remit, serving everyone from the elderly to new mothers, and offering adult education, refugee support, a meeting place for the NHS and other charities and a hugely popular crèche and youth club. It is so popular, in fact, that it was hard to find down-time to give it a long-overdue makeover, but once a three-week window had been agreed, TP Caring Spaces transformed the centre’s two largest communal spaces (see below for the ‘before and after’ of one of them).

The team spoke to group leaders and employees to learn about the different needs of the groups and uses of the spaces. Colour was important to create a sense of calm, but also joy and escapism – and, as with any successful interior, practicalities were just as important as aesthetics, so storage was key to remove clutter and create a creative, comfortable place for everyone.

This is a project that had to work hard for its multiple groups of users, all with diverse needs. Hot-air balloons hanging from the ceiling were designed to captivate younger children and babies, while the acoustics were improved for the elderly community and to better facilitate large gatherings.

Finally, there was an end goal of creating a space that could provide an income stream, so it is now much more appealing as an event space for hire.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is proud to have supported this project via WOW!house 2023’s general ticket sales and the WOW!gala, a night of fun and philanthropy that raised money for this very worthy cause.

Want to help TP Caring Spaces create even more amazing places? Snap up a ticket for its coveted carol concert (taking place on 16 December at St Luke’s Church, Chelsea) here.