Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) has been described as “one of the greatest figures of the Industrial Revolution [who] changed the face of the English landscape with his groundbreaking designs and ingenious constructions.” (L T C Rolt). How appropriate therefore that his legacy should continue with the enterprise centre Engine Shed in the buildings he created at Temple Meads Station in Bristol in 1841 and now expanding outwards with new start-up units being built from black-painted steel containers on the adjacent car park. Described as “The gateway to enterprise in Bristol & Bath”, Engine Shed is a collaboration between Bristol City Council and the University of Bristol in the original GWR railway station and offices at Temple Meads Station, owned since 2012 by Bristol City Council, leased to the university and refurbished in 2013 with funding provided by Bristol City Council, the University of Bristol and the City Deal for Inward Investment activity. It now continues to expand with the 20 new start-up units that are being completed on site.
Engine Shed’s aspiration is to be an ‘incubator of incubators’ with a series of independent “components” that create a hub “where entrepreneurs, business leaders, academics, students and corporates can collaborate, inspire and be inspired, enable and be enabled”. The components benefit from being located together and sharing joint facilities – a public innovation showcase, meeting and seminar rooms (including Brunel’s Boardroom) and a business lounge which members of the founding organisations can use (The Universities of Bath, Bath Spa, Bristol and West England, the Institute of Directors and Bristol Media). Adjacent is Brunel’s old railway shed, currently unused, which is hired out events and recently hosted the UK higher education “Green Gown Awards”. A proportion of any operating surplus goes back into development of Engine Shed and for projects that stimulate economic activity in and around it.
Engine Shed is a model for a sustainable partnership supporting enterprise, innovation and, ultimately, economic and employment growth while giving an appropriate new use to a nationally-important part of Britain’s engineering heritage in a prime location next to a major transport hub rather – than all too often happens because of land values – building an industrial shed surrounded by car parking on a business park on the edge of a city.
(Interior phographs from Engine Shed and partners)
