The RUSS Community Hub was built in 2019 with the support of nearly 100 volunteers, crowdfunding and public money. It includes a significant amount of reclaimed materials, including most of the structure, as well as the windows, doors and flooring. The construction was to a high standard and the Hub has received a final Building Control certificate.
Since opening, the Hub has been well used by groups from within RUSS, including future residents and the RUSS School, as well as the wider community, despite the impact of Covid restrictions.
The Hub has also been the venue for public exhibitions and talks as part of the London Festival of Architecture and Open City’s London Open House. In 2021, RUSS was shortlisted for the Open City Urban Stewardship Awards, the only British prize to celebrate long-term sustainable urban development practices.
The Hub is usually opened to the public in September for Open House.
The Hub was originally described as a temporary building, but due to the anticipated ongoing demand for the space, and to support sustainability with regards to the embodied carbon of construction materials, RUSS obtained consent from Lewisham Council to make the building permanent.
Last update: 28 October 2026
