Empty London buildings offer temporary affordable housing

UK-based property management company created The SHED Project to help young professionals live in the expensive city.

London is infamous for having some of the most expensive housing in the world, and the prospect of getting on the property ladder or even affording monthly rent can be daunting for young professionals beginning their career. Enter the SHED Project, created by property management company Lowe Guardians, which helps provide low-cost temporary housing in high-rent areas.

With the design help of Studio Bark, ‘sheds’ are built in a single day within vacant buildings such as warehouses, offices and abandoned buildings, providing renters with a tiny home of their own. The constructions are made from affordable, low-impact materials with a mixture of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), lamb’s wool insulation and a small amount of recycled polyester, all of which are made in the UK. There is also no waste, as the sheds can be dismantled and the materials reused for another dwelling.

Every accommodation comes with WiFi, communal spaces and cleaning services included within the license fee. The renters, known as guardians, can even get involved with building their little home. Guardians must be aged between 21-35 and in full time employment.