Suliman Alla Studio & Pollard Yard’s Collaborative Culture

Pollard Yard has quickly grown to become a hub of like minded creatives and small businesses, here we look at the collaborative nature of the site with Suliman Alla Studio.

Suliman Alla Studio is a Multidisciplinary Architecture & Design Studio based at Pollard Yard, Manchester. Recently launched by Studio Lead, Suliman Alla as an experimental creative endeavour exploring the boundaries between Architecture and Design. S A Studio’s diverse output extends across a collection of rings, bracelets, vases, t-shirt, illustrations and lapel pins, all of which have been inspired by a multitude of themes including identity, culture, rhythm, experience and climate change. SA Studio places process at the heart of every design, each design includes a narrative around the fundamentals that inspired their creation. The collection of rings for example, are an ode to the humble arch; the symmetry, order and patterns of the archways used in structure.

A big part in choosing the space for the Studio was finding somewhere that could foster collaboration and participation as part of the design process. Encouraging an open dialogue between creatives in both similar and alternative disciplines is an essential goal for the studio, with a mantra of ‘no idea is off limits’. This was one of the reasons Pollard Yard felt like a harmonious fit for a business looking for a community of likeminded creatives.

Pollard Yard has really delivered in becoming the space for exactly that. Already in the first few months of the studio’s tenancy, collaborations have formed between S A Studio and neighbouring creatives. S A Studio has existing links to the University of Liverpool, where founder Suilman teaches & lectures on undergraduate architectural programmes. Through being based at Pollard Yard, Suliman has discovered the work of Ade owner of ‘Everyone Loves Badges’. Inspired by the creative process used by Ade, Suliman has incorporated badge design into coursework briefs for students at the University, asking them to create an emblem for individual projects that can be made into wearable designs. This idea sharing and collaborative working was exactly the sort of project that the studio hoped to be involved with.

Another collaboration project stemmed from the close community of Pollard Yard. Ian Morris is a creative illustrator who’s work has featured across a number of successful publications. With S A Studio having a vested interest in the expression of diverse culture through design, there was a discussion around how to create a character who could become ambassador for the brand, give a voice to the studio and also make the content accessible to a much wider (and younger) audience. Ian was really keen to be involved in the project and developed a character named Binny, who would become a virtual member or the S A Studio team. Since Binny’s creation, Ian and Suliman have continued to work on the project. Binny is set to feature as part of the Studio’s t-shirt line campaign and their pledge to off-set the carbon footprint through reforestation with every item bought.

The creative partnerships established between S A Studio and other businesses whilst at Pollard Yard is a true testament to what happens when likeminded creatives have a space that values a community culture and shared ideas. Although individual businesses have their separate spaces from which to grow, the interconnectivity of individuals working towards creative ideas is sure to be a springboard for many other creative ventures.

To see for yourself the outputs of S A Studio and partnerships head over to @SullimanAllaStudio on Instagram or checkout website sulimanallastudio.com