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BLOQS is an open-access maker and community space. We centralise access to specialist machines and knowledge within a supportive and creative culture, so anyone can learn skills, grow a business, or explore an idea, and change their work and life.
Catalysed by the conviction that collective working could push progress, a group of friends started Bloqs as an experiment.
In 2012, this group of passionate makers transformed a scruffy industrial Enfield warehouse into a pay-as-you-go workshop, filling it with as many machines as they could beg, steal or borrow, for as many disciplines as humanly possible.
A community of professional makers grew around this new open-access resource. Making, manufacturing, designing, and helping each other as they went.
A decade on and the new and much-improved Bloqs site is a hive of creativity and innovation, powering makers across the city from 700 companies, and driving millions of pounds through the local economy.
Not just a maker space, Bloqs has evolved into an education hub, a cultural destination, and a replicable model for communities to empower sustainable futures.
Fired by a conviction that working for a collective purpose was not only more effective, but better for the planet, and loads more fun and interesting, Bloqs was founded by a group of friends as an experiment, a test of the proposition that sharing a resource would yield exponentially more benefits to themselves and anyone who cared to join them.
In 2012, they transformed a scruffy industrial Enfield warehouse into a pay-as-you-go workshop, filling it with as many machines as they could beg steal or borrow for as many disciplines as possible, to share with whoever needed them.
Soon a community of professional makers grew around this new open access resource, to make, manufacture, and design, helping each other as they went.
A decade on the community continues to grow every year, and now over 700 companies use Bloqs for their fabrication needs. It is a hive of creativity and innovation, powering makers across the city, and driving millions of pounds through the Enfield economy.
Bloqs is now a centre for innovation in manufacturing, an education hub, and a cultural destination, a replicable model for communities to grow their own sustainable futures.
Our Technical Manager, Tom, specialises in woodworking, digital machinery, and CAD/CAM software. His journey with Bloqs began as a customer when he was crafting props and building sets for a company. With a background in prop making from university, Tom's enthusiasm for the workshop and its community led him to join Bloqs as a technician.
Tom's true passion lies in teaching and assisting members with their projects, and he revels in working with the workshop's impressive machinery. His favourite aspect of the job? Operating the CNC routers, where he transforms intricate designs into reality.
Jelena is our exceptional FOH Assistant. Her positive demeanour, attention to detail, and can-do attitude make her a wonderful addition to our close-knit family. With a background in psychology and a wealth of customer service experience, Jelena ensures everyone feels welcome and valued in our vibrant community and she loves the creativity and diversity seen at Bloqs. When she’s not greeting our members, Jelena volunteers at Crisis and enjoys gardening, baking, hiking, and rescuing stray animals.
Our head chef, Marianna, has a background as rich and diverse as her offerings. Hailing from Crete, where her father was a fisherman and her mother ran the family’s seafood restaurant, she later honed her skills as head chef at London’s Moro and co-founded its celebrated sister, Morito.
Marianna's cooking is a magical blend of Cretan traditions and Mediterranean influences, creating a tapestry of flavours. A storyteller at heart, her cookbook "Aegean" weaves tales of island life, offering a transporting love letter to Crete. Marianna's passion led her to Bloqs, where she curates seasonal Mediterranean menus at incredibly affordable prices
Founder, Arnaud, is at the heart of design and creation. With over 25 years of experience, he has crafted unique projects ranging from sculptural design statements in furniture to delivering environmental regeneration solutions. His portfolio includes prestigious clients such as Nike, Google, Selfridges, Twitter, and the V&A.
Drawing from his extensive career, Arnaud intimately understands the challenges of obtaining access to expensive equipment and scalable maker spaces - and it was this first-hand experience that sowed the seeds of Bloqs. His vision goes beyond providing practical access for makers; it reimagines the very essence of the workspace. Collaborating closely with 5th Studio architects, they transformed our space, flooding it with natural light and creating an open, double-height space with pristine white flooring. The design fosters an atmosphere conducive to creativity, setting it apart from the typical dark and industrial settings he was used to.
Arnaud's passion for innovation drives him to actively engage with anyone who shares a zeal for inventiveness. You'll often find him on the floor meticulously overseeing his vision, engaging with members, and rolling up his sleeves to contribute to bespoke projects for Bloqs Create.
Our friendly and fun-loving receptionist Lisa is a Tottenham local and true Spurs fan. Lisa's craft room at home is her sanctuary where she creates personalised handmade gifts for her family and friends on every occasion.
As a receptionist at Bloqs, Lisa gets to connect with the incredible members, building strong relationships while witnessing the inspired creations they bring to life. She takes pride in being a part of the Bloqs community, where “everyone feels like family.”
Claudia is an Italian photographer based in London. When she's not behind the camera, you'll find her in Bloqs' open kitchen, whipping up cakes and cookies and mingling with fellow makers. Her favourite thing about Bloqs is the strong sense of community it fosters, as well as the opportunity it provides to see beautiful and impactful projects brought to life.
Al Parra is a Co-Founder and Director at Bloqs, where his diverse background in restoration poetry, the service industry, and fundraising brings a unique perspective to revolutionising manufacturing. Despite a seemingly atypical journey, Al's primary role is to forge innovative partnerships, cultivate new business ventures, and identify fresh opportunities that align with the brand's mission of driving transformative change.
Leveraging his multifaceted background and a remarkable gift for interpersonal communication, Al has become an indispensable voice in articulating Bloqs' vision and engaging with a wide spectrum of stakeholders. He plays a pivotal role in shaping Bloqs’ philosophy and its intersection with public culture and society, ensuring the organisation's values are deeply ingrained in its operations. You can almost always find Al engaged in a lively conversation, whether it's with our members, visitors, academics, or legislators.
Ben is a talented individual with a passion for drawing and running. At Bloqs, Ben plays a crucial role in keeping the workshop and grounds clean, tidy, and accessible for our members, ensuring they can focus on their creative work. His journey includes studying carpentry at CONEL, where he honed his skills and expertise. Born and raised in the local community of Edmonton, Ben fits perfectly into the Bloqs community and he especially loves the culinary offerings.
Brendan is a designer, maker, bass scientist, and architectural anarchist with a practical approach to his craft. Hailing from the Fens and raised in the '60s, Brendan hails from a lineage of creativity as the son of an architect and a toolmaker. He has dabbled in furniture making, interior joinery, retail audio, and crafting outdoor structures and event spaces.
At Bloqs, Brendan wears multiple hats as the Production Manager for Bloqs Create, where he brings creative visions to life, and for Bloqs Yard, constructing impressive event spaces. His favourite things about Bloqs are the striking building, the vibrant community, the wealth of expertise and the diversity of work taking place. And of course, the coffee.
Rob Fawcett is a truly multi-talented maker with a diverse background. His journey started as a toolmaker in the plastic injection moulding industry, where he quickly rose to head designer, before he turned to studying film and media. Working as a freelance cameraman, editor, photographer and retoucher inspired the creation of his own production company and work on major movies like Star Wars Episode 1 and Goldeneye.
Now, as part of the Bloqs team, Rob brings a wealth of experience in furniture design, mechanical engineering, prototyping, and more. He finds fulfilment in collaborating with fellow makers and sharing his expertise with students.
Rory is an architecturally trained designer and maker based in London. He graduated from the Bartlett school of architecture in 2020. Prior to becoming a technician at Bloqs he worked on a range of cultural, residential and commercial projects as an architectural assistant for Carmody Groarke. Interested in a broad array of materials, processes and technologies, his work as a technician and designer spans across all of the departments at Bloqs. Rory is currently studying architecture at the Royal College of Art.
Patrick Lyons, known as "Paddy" around Bloqs, is an essential member of the Kitchen and Events team, playing a vital role in providing culinary delights to the community. Under the guidance of the talented Marianna, the team continually hones their skills and diversifies their repertoire.
Joining the team in 2019, Patrick has become an integral part of the community. He has thoroughly enjoyed seeing Bloqs' remarkable evolution, witnessing its expansion and relocation to the new site, and its ever-growing impact on both members and the local community.
Together, we’re breaking barriers and creating opportunities for everyone. If you're driven by the idea of equal access to resources and the power of collaboration, join us and help us lead the change
Enfield Council has recognised BLOQS as a vital delivery partner in the development and regeneration of Edmonton and the broader Enfield borough. Our collaborative efforts have yielded remarkable results, and we are thrilled with the possibilities that lie ahead. We’re proud to call them a landlord; a partner in the London Regeneration Fund bid and match funder; and a collaborator on countless cultural endeavours, place-making initiatives, and educational and community-led events.
Since being awarded London Regeneration Funding in 2015, the Mayor of London's office and the Greater London Authority's regeneration team have been valuable partners in our journey. Together, we join forces to showcase London as a hub of design excellence and to contribute towards the Mayor's sustainability objectives for the capital. As a community we deeply appreciate this unwavering support and ongoing collaboration that celebrates a shared commitment towards a more sustainable future.
For many years, Bloqs has been delighted to collaborate with the Canal & River Trust, fostering a stronger connection between our local and working communities and the waterways, canals, and rivers that define our industrial heritage. We acknowledge the immense ecological value they hold, on top of the wellbeing and recreational opportunities they offer. A prime example of our partnership is the Hinterlands Project, which Bloqs is currently hosting and will continue to support throughout much of 2024. Together, we strive to make a positive impact on our surroundings, enriching lives and cherishing precious natural resources.
The collaboration with The Rebel School for Business was a natural fit, given our shared values and ambitious visions to uplift our respective communities. As co-hosts of events and partners in delivering practical, valuable skills, we eagerly anticipate working hand-in-hand to enhance the lives of our members and borough residents. We admire their endless energy, entrepreneurial spirit and their countless ideas for good business and happy living. Together, our organisations will continue to expand, supporting an ever-growing community of makers, doers, and innovators, making a positive impact on the world around us.
Staunch, inspiring, and endlessly supportive, Learning For Life is an extraordinary charity steadfast in their commitment to ensuring every child and young person fulfils their societal potential, regardless of their learning needs. BLOQS takes great pride in our partnership with this exceptional organisation, as well as their educational arm, West Leas School. We are honoured to employ talented youngsters who have graduated from their placement program.
A vibrant new community is set to call our home their own, as 10,000 new homes and 6,000 new jobs flourish around us, transforming Meridian Water into one of the most ambitious and dynamic development zones of our time. Amidst the creation of new houses, train stations, bridges, waterways, and roads, BLOQS proudly stands as a pillar of support and creativity for this thriving community. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the dedicated team driving this development, co-hosting events, welcoming place-making conferences, and engaging with the thought leaders shaping the built environment.
Holzer Weinig UK saw the potential in Bloqs' model for fostering future manufacturers and making businesses, leading them to become our valued partner. Together, we empower creativity and craftsmanship, shaping a brighter future.
TrunCAD, a dynamic newcomer in the market, stands out for its rapid growth due to the remarkable intuitiveness of its software. Created by makers, the developers recognized the untapped potential among furniture makers and fitters who weren't leveraging the advantages of digital platforms. Their generous licensing packages, advisory services, and continuous support have enabled us to provide valuable learning resources to our community.
Bloqs is honoured to serve as an outsourced technical campus for an increasing array of education provider partners. In addition to hosting several engineering industrial placements for mechanical engineering students and piloting a free adult education joinery class for both our community members and Enfield Borough residents, Bloqs is dedicated to building a comprehensive program of adult education options, offered with no upfront costs.
Bloqs is honoured to serve as an outsourced technical campus for an increasing array of education provider partners. In addition to hosting several engineering industrial placements for mechanical engineering students and piloting a free adult education joinery class for both our community members and Enfield Borough residents, Bloqs is dedicated to building a comprehensive program of adult education options, offered with no upfront costs.
The godfather of design platforms has officially acknowledged Bloqs as an educational hub, granting us exclusive preferential pricing and providing access to a range of complimentary resources to enhance our educational offerings. We're grateful to Autodesk for their generosity in channelling Bloqs' support through their dedicated non-profit support program.
Bloqs has embarked on a remarkable journey of co-delivering crucial segments of the mechanical engineering curriculum for Imperial College's undergraduate engineering cohorts. The surging demand for Imperial's engineering programs led them to Bloqs as an additional capacity provider, and what initially began as an experiential requirement swiftly evolved into a partnership.
At the heart of Bloqs lies its machinery, a substantial portion of which is expertly provided by Selmach. Reflecting a trend seen with several of our suppliers, we've transitioned from mere customers to valued partners, united by a shared understanding and appreciation for our mission and purpose within the manufacturing sector. The dedicated team at Selmach not only oversee the supply and maintenance of many of our machines, but also offer technical support to our technicians, ensuring seamless troubleshooting, attentive care, and the smooth operation of all our tools and equipment.
