Sugar House Island, Stratford London

IATE’s premises are now situated in a new development in East London called Sugar House Island, close to Stratford (E15). It is an area which has been rejuvenated through arts-based funding streams and innovative community development and Olympic Park funding.

It’s a deeply tranquil oasis (no cars) next to the canal with stunning architecture and green spaces in abundance. A lovely café/restaurant called the Print Room (see above) is 30 seconds from our building with outside seating. Informal and modern, it is open for breakfast from 8.30am. There are other spaces on the island (one minute walk) for refreshments.

The glorious Olympic Park is one minute away from the premises. For those who want to bike, the premises are also 5 mins by bike to Stratford International and Stratford underground and over-ground. The Island has ample bike stands. There is a car park if students want to pay for that facility with the Island concierge direct (see concierge office on Sugar House Lane).

IATE is within a creative ‘hub’ that offers students a campus-like experience, with access to a range of independent retailers and creative organisations on the island, such as East London Dance School, as well as an outside events space that is used for viewing summer sporting events and exhibitions. We also have access to outside roof terraces, and we will use these for graduation ceremonies and art exhibition events.

We are pleased to assure you that it has excellent accessibility and is served by a variety of nearby tube and train stations including Bromley-by-Bow, Pudding Mill Lane, Stratford, Stratford High Street and Stratford International. There are also many bus and cycle routes.

From top universities, world-class sports facilities and national cultural hubs, to shops, restaurants and swathes of outdoor space, there are untold possibilities on your doorstep.

Easy access and well connected

Eight stations, seven lines, five bus routes and two dedicated cycle paths keep you effortlessly connected with the city and its surrounds. By bike, bus, tube, train or foot, Chimney Walk is brilliantly located for access to Stratford, the City and beyond.

Key facts about IATE premises

  1. We offer students beautiful and creative spaces to encourage innovative thinking.
  2. From our premises in Islington to our premises on Sugar House Island, we have replicated in their entirety, 6 of our large teaching rooms (interior design, furniture, lighting, wallpaper, paint colours AV, equipment, teaching materials), but they are all improved now with both far more natural light and our stunning location. All have been interior designed and painted by fine artists/university lecturer in textiles and design.
  3. We are providing the same amount of teaching space as we provided in Islington. We are no longer a conference venue, so we do not have rooms for corporate clients as we did in Islington (the students were very rarely using the Islington conference rooms).
  4. Whilst we have more than enough space to house our students at Danes Yard, we are choosing to offer the students the very best. So, we will supplement our work classrooms/lecture rooms with use of professional dance studios at East London Dance studios (1 minute walk). These will be for some of our Performing Arts sessions.
  5. We also have use of a very large lecture hall in Divisible (1 minute walk from Danes Yard). This will be for lectures of over 100 people. Our office which is located in Divisible, also means students can use the study pods and front lounge in Divisible.
  6. Students were often complaining of rooms in Islington with no natural light. All the rooms at Sugar House Island have natural light.
  7. Our rooms: Each teaching space has a display TV screen for PowerPoint and film presentations. Each space is also equipped with art materials and very comfortable seating (sofas and cushions). We also have 100 conference chairs for more formal theatre style lectures.
  8. Social spaces: The site offers many social spaces for students to meet. There are plenty of outlets to purchase food and drink. The all-day café outside our premises provides relaxing couches and tables for 8 people so groups of students can meet and talk. In the summer the glorious outdoor space overlooking the canal is available for students, with little covered table areas for a group of up to 8 students.
  9. Study spaces: Students can study in the library where laptops will be set up for their use. Also on request, they can use the work pods at Divisible (our second premises on the island).
  10. Sustainability: As the building premises are brand new, they are fully accessible and sustainable, complying with new energy regulations to make.

Capacities, equipment and resources for our teaching rooms

Each room has a display screen to be used as a 2 monitor for computers/PowerPoint presentations. Size between 55 inches and 85 inches.

Ground floor

  • Foyer: Refreshment area/relaxing sofas and chairs
  • Winter garden: 20 students and 40 with partition door open
  • Gatsby: 20 students

First floor

  • Staff room: 15 tutors
  • Matisse: Theatre style 80 students
  • Lecture hall: Projection wall is 5m wide ceiling height. Stage full width of the projection wall 1.2m deep x 400mm high. Over 120 conference chairs and many round conference tables.
  • Delauney: 60 students
  • Orangery: 80 students (can be divided into two)
  • Library: Our extensive library has been moved in its entirety to Danes Yard. This is also a workspace that students can work in when not in class. We also still have our digital resources which students are able to access remotely. We have made a commitment to purchasing multiple copies of all key texts either in eBook format or in print. Students will be able to access journals and databases remotely and also in the library.

Equipment and resources

  • Audio-visual
  • Tateside AV installation
  • Samsung Display Screen (55 to 85 inch) in every teaching room
  • Short throw projector & screen
  • Samsung TV
  • Wireless microphones, mixing facilities.
  • Sound systems
  • OHP projectors
  • Epson Projectors
  • Video cameras and stills cameras
  • Stage lights
  • PA system (Bose)
  • Recording facilities
  • Many white boards

Refreshment equipment for students

  • Bunn Water Boiler
  • Bunn Dual Titan
  • 2 x Bunn Titan servers
  • Fridge
  • Dishwasher
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer

Art materials

  • Full set of multi arts materials in each teaching space

Musical instruments

  • Piano
  • Sand play miniatures (1000s and sand play boxes)
  • Full range of percussion
  • Keyboard, guitars, drums
  • Games equipment for therapy with children
  • Therapy communicative tool resources

Office equipment (Divisible)

  • Three large photocopiers
  • 12 Mac book computers
  • Scanners
  • Franking machine
  • State of the art software systems to ensure most effective administration of educational courses to ensure customer satisfaction

Dance Studios

Dance and body work will happen at the dance studios, 1 minute walk from our building.

Dance Studio 2

  • Ideal for rehearsals, workshops, research & development, castings and auditions
  • Dimensions: 8.8m x 9.3m
  • Area: 75 sqm
  • Maximum Capacity: 40 people

The Studio Space

  • Located on the ground floor
  • Harlequin sprung wooden floors
  • Black curtain-coverable wall mirrors across one side of the studio
  • Openable windows with adjustable Venetian blinds (not blackout)
  • Air conditioning/ central heating

Technical Info:

  • Ultrafast WiFi connectivity at 1Gbps and 8 ethernet ports
  • Audio playback connectivity includes mini-jack, usb-c, lightning cable, Bluetooth, CD and usb (covering Android phones, iPhones and laptops)
  • Projector and large screen linked to audio equipment & studio speakers
  • A technician can be hired at an additional cost