It is sometimes hard, even for other tenants, to distinguish between the informal boundaries that warehouse tenants erect between units. The outdoor spaces in front of each unit rarely ‘belong’ to the unit. Over time corners have been occupied and some great spaces have been created. 

To better understand how tenants view space around the warehouse district, the team have developed three terms that they’re using to understand these informal arrangements. 

Private Communal
The working definition of ‘private communal’ is areas of outdoor space that are attributed to a particular warehouse or cluster of warehouses. It’s deemed private, because it is implied that this space is only for the use of the associated warehouses.

Communal
In contrast to the above, communal is outdoor space that is free for any warehouse tenant to use. Use of the space could include socialising, making items or hosting events for other tenants.

Public
Key parts of the warehouse district are open and accessible by the general public. Also, some areas within gates are used for public events when permission has been granted,