Make feature in Net Magazine

Tom Witcherley explains how photography equipment and plants help the digital agency stamp its mark on the industry.

At the end of a cobbled street, in the renovated pharmaceutical factory in Bethnal Green, is a pocket of London’s East End that has been our home since 2014.

One of the beauties of the setup here is the flexibility to scale up as you grow, which has certainly made life easier for Make as we’re constantly adding new desks.

The building has all the charms expected of a converted factory. High ceilings, large windows, great natural light, lab tile flooring and, of course, lots of exposed brick walls. When taking on the space, you literally get an empty unit with tall, white walls. The rest is up to you. So, over the last five years, we’ve worked to turn that into a collaborative work space.

Our breakout area is so important for us [1]. It’s where we pull ourselves away from our screens, chat about ideas and collaborate. We installed a Mac mini behind the screen, allowing us to discuss and test development and prototypes throughout the project.

We develop and maintain many e-commerce sites and are forever shooting product shots. Good light is vital and our studio is rigged with top equipment to ensure the shots are on-point [2].

In such a busy working environment, wireless noise-cancelling headphones are vital [3]. We currently have 12 people in the studio and it can get loud. When it’s time to get in the zone, noise-cancelling headphones are an absolute must.

As we spend lots of time inside, we’ve flooded the studio with plants on every single desk and shelf [4]. It looks wonderful and definitely creates a better atmosphere to work in. And right outside our door is a communal table tennis table, which is perfect for unwinding with a beer on a Friday afternoon [5].

We not only benefit from the building’s charm but also from the collaborative opportunities available on our doorstep. Each of the buildings floors are lined with talent – developers photographers, and graphic designers – who are more than happy to collaborate and share ideas in the communal areas. And when it’s time to get away from the screens, we’re regulars at a couple of Bethnal Green locals, which are hidden gems. Especially those craft beer bars under the railway arches.

To learn more about make, email the team direct hi@makeagency.co.uk or call 020 3567 0860.