LOOSE.fm’s radio station, London’s Design District

Ruth Ward

• Architects

A new physical home for radio community LOOSE.fm launches at Design District on Greenwich Peninsula today. Housed in a specifically designed, converted shipping container with striking features including oversized, illuminated eyes, the station adds to the eclectic mix of buildings at Design District – London’s first purpose-built home for the full spectrum of the creative industries – and is set to become an iconic landmark for sound and community.
Designed in collaboration with innovative architecture practice CAUKIN Studio – creators of the viral Skip House – the station brings a unique sensory experience to the site. LOOSE.fm invites both residents and visitors to engage with captivating visuals and immersive soundscapes. Playful and bold, it adds a fresh layer of creativity to the campus, joining standout landmarks including Design District’s rooftop basketball court and the bubble-like Canteen Food Hall & Bar.

CAUKIN’s design strikes a balance between function and whimsy. The façade bursts with bold colours and repurposed materials, including scaffolding arranged to resemble an animated face. Giant illuminated eyeballs, engineered and brought to life by lighting designer Joshua Space, perch on the container’s roof, while a green service window playfully mimics a mouth. The structure is a creative statement and a lively expression of the station’s spirit. True to Design District’s ethos and purpose as a campus for creatives to meet and collaborate, fellow tenant Uncommon Projects has designed the station’s banquette seating, while Wizard Works has designed the accompanying retro-inspired cushion, and DutchScot has created the station’s unique backdrop.
Established in 2021, LOOSE.fm is a community platform focused on “eclectic, experimental, ecstatic” sound and culture. LOOSE.fm has a diverse global network of over 500 contributors, DJs, producers and creators. Setting up its first purpose-built home at Design District, LOOSE.fm will benefit from joining a community of more than 1,800 creative businesses and co-working members currently supported across the campus, as it continues its aims of providing a platform for creative collaboration. The radio platform will host live shows, public activations, and community-centric events.

In line with the principles of reuse showcased by CAUKIN’s previous project, Skip House, the structure for the station is provided by a re-purposed shipping container, which has been assessed and insulated in order to reach the acoustic performance needed for recording. The compact nature of the container allows it to be easily transported, enabling the station to relocate and extend the reach of its sound across Design District and Greenwich Peninsula in the future.
The station will be located at the heart of Greenwich Peninsula, opposite Central Park at the Southeast of Design District, adjacent to the O2 Arena and North Greenwich Station. Seating surrounds the station and provides space for passersby to pause, listen, and connect. As well as broadcasting globally, programming for LOOSE.fm will feature returning DJs and shows from its existing grassroots community including:
Flat Earth Disco, Make A Dance, Leandro Fidelis, Half East Records, Unexpected Items, India Bigg, Frank Radio, Han+Fran, Balearic Burger, Miro, Here On Earth, Elektraversion, Something Like That, Jam Jiva, Caspa Mono, Memory Muscle and Discotheque Tropicale – alongside a fresh cast of newcomers including emerging Londoners Ariane V, Miss Mash, Stella Z and Sharifa. The space around the studio will also be used to bring the wider community together for events that elevate LOOSE’s ethos.

Laura Flanagan, Director at Design District, said: “Since 2018, London has lost 10 per cent of its cultural spaces and LOOSE.fm knows first-hand the challenges facing independent radio stations in simply keeping the mics on. It’s our mission to keep the creative sector at the heart of the city and it is particularly rewarding to be able to house another kind of creative organisation at Design District, joining 1,800 other creatives supported across the site.
“A location for both exciting local events and global broadcast, the station will bring a brand-new experience to our diverse offering, welcoming residents and visitors alike. Embodying the key principles that Design District upholds: collaboration, creativity, and cultural exchange. LOOSE.fm has already connected with our community here and we’re all looking forward to an eclectic programme ahead.”

Mark Freeman, Founder at LOOSE.fm said: “LOOSE has always been more than a radio station. It’s about celebrating and platforming leftfield creativity, and we’ve built a home for it right in the heart of London – a place to bring together all kinds of vibey music, interesting conversation, and offbeat visual culture. It’s a base from which we can continue to grow our community and champion the outsiders, the dreamers and the visionaries from the margins of culture – maintaining our legacy as the conduit for the joy that they bring to open-minded audiences through their work.
“CAUKIN’s design is unexpected, brilliant, and alive with possibility, and Joshua Space’s illuminated eyes provide a fantastic, otherworldly touch. And Design District, from the start, has completely understood our mission – bringing together culture, community, and commercial strategy, to nurture our creative industries. This project will bring joy – and opportunities – to so many people and we can’t wait to see where it takes us.”