East Bank in Stratford: Progress update for cultural quarter

The massive development is located in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. 

The progress update marks the opening of its first two venues - London College of Fashion and UCL East. 

Yet to open is the Sadler's Wells East theatre, the V&A East Museum and Storehouse, and the BBC Music Studios. 

A planned render of the BBC Music building (Image: Allies and Morrison)

The £1.1billion project is expected to generate 2,500 new jobs with 50% of East Bank apprenticeships will be taken up by local people and is projected to bring in £1.5billion for the local economy. 

East Bank director Tamsin Ace described the area as a "rich and collaborative open space".

The UCL East building hosted BBC singers earlier this year (Image: Olivia Carter (left), Mark Allan (right))

She said: "East London is the roots of East Bank in terms of the different art forms -  so connected to the rich cultural and technological roots of London.

"There’s a real synergy."

Ms Ace commended the eagerness of all five East Bank partners to work together to uphold the "overarching mission and vision for collaboration", adding: "We can learn a lot from this part of London."

Each venue will overlap to both members of the public and students from the venues themselves. 

How the inside of the V&A East Storehouse could look (Image: Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

The V&A Museum and Storehouse announced at the tour their plans to remove as many barriers to their exhibits when it opens in 2025 for more people to enjoy and interact with the history behind them. 

An external render of the V&A building with a planned layout for the internal space (Image: O Donnell + Tuomey, Ninety90 (left), Diller Scofidio + Renfro (right))

They will also pioneer a new exhibition called The Music is Black that will take visitors on an immersive trip through 125 years of black British music. 

A side by side of the sketches of Sadler's Wells next to the current building. (Image: O Donnell + Tuomey Ninety90 (left), Charlotte Meyer (right))

Niquelle LaTouche, head of school for Sadler's Wells East and heading the Academy Breakin' convention, said they aim to be "the blueprint for what collaborative work could look like [...] we want to bring east London with us - the side on the other side of the bridge". 

Students at UAL showcased the Designed for... exhibition that takes a deeper look into the roots, histories and identities of its students. 

The collections focused on Designed for Life and Designed for The Future themes (Image: Olivia Carter)

Visitors can stroll the park and the cultural quarter, where most new buildings as part of East Bank will feature accessible and open areas in the venues that will be open to the general public.