WHAT COULD BE a cooler place to work in than a tree office? A tree office in the coolest part of the coolest city, that’s what.

That just might be a minority view. Hackney council has found little demand for the stylish studios it fixed below the branches of a London plane in Hoxton Square.

Pressed by Loving Dalston, the council admitted “the tree office has been used at around half of its capacity”. The only bookings had been for desk space, one-off meetings and, uhm, a yoga session.

The council bravely claimed that the take-up target had been met in light of the tree office’s being “such a new concept… a pilot project to explore if such a space in Hackney could and would be used by local communities”.

Rental income was meant to fund improvements and maintenance for the

borough’s green spaces — which perhaps explains why they are looking so parched.

A host of people and outfits from the US and England has been involved in the treeXoffice (official title). Its website says it “has been created by [American] artist Natalie “X” Jeremijenko in collaboration with artists Shuster and Moseley, [Dalston] architects Tate Harmer and [American] briefing architects Gensler.

It was commissioned by Artsadmin and Groundwork London and Hackney council as part of the Park Hack project and ‘delivered’ by… the European Commission… Arts Council England…”

At this point Loving Dalston tired of transcribing the names of all the outfits with a finger in this pie. Who says money is short?

Hamish Scott 230715

* TreeXoffice is free for community groups to use at weekends: email park.hack@groundwork.org.uk for a booking code. Individuals and businesses can hire a desk for £15 a half-day or book all the office on weekdays (£120 a half-day).

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