In fact, open the gate and the contrast could not be starker. Where once stood a series of ramshackle sheds and a patch of scrubland, there is now a minimalist youth centre, complete with courtyard, chill-out zone and dance studio.
This small but perfectly formed building is the vision of a group of local young people who, for three years, have worked alongside community groups, architects and grant-makers to help design and build their own youth club.
Involvement
"We've been involved in every stage of the process," says 17-year-old Kamal Assaf, part of the 10-strong youth steering panel behind the E13 Mix Up centre. "We had an input into nearly every aspect of the club, including selecting the courtyard tiles. This is a club designed by young people, for young people."
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