Factory Friday: Broad Workshop

In our ongoing Factory Friday series, we are delving into the stories behind some of the Scottish Manufacturers that you can find on Make Works.

In our first interview of 2016 we meet Guy Scott, a woodworker and cabinet-maker in Edinburgh, who also goes by the name of Broad Workshop. Originally trained as an architect, Guy realised that something was missing in his everyday practice. In 2010, he took the chance to explore the hands-on, physical side of the profession, working with a builder to restore an old wash house. Realising that this was what was missing, he joined Albion Road Studios and set up shop doing custom fabrication for architects, interior designers and private clients. 

What are the projects that you’ve worked on over the years that you really enjoyed?

The projects I enjoy the most are ones where the client is engaged with the design and production process. Some people get a lot out of learning how their piece of furniture is being produced and it can even lead to the design developing in a different way, which is always interesting to me.

Who is the typical client that gets in touch?

Most of my clients are domestic, families and home owners, but I've worked on some interesting projects with small businesses as well. I hope to develop some products for sale over the next couple of years.

What is it like working in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh has treated me very well so far. The city's blend of academia, cultural heritage, business and trades mean that there's a fantastic variety of work around. Glasgow does have a few really good materials suppliers that I wouldn't mind relocating a little closer to us though!

Why do you think manufacturing in Edinburgh is important?

I think that any city benefits greatly from having a range of small manufacturers close at hand. It gives a flexibility to other businesses and creative industries to push what they do in new directions. A varied ecosystem is a resilient thing.

What advice do you have for emerging makers, designers and manufacturers? 

I think the single best move I've made was joining a shared workshop. With this kind of work you're always learning and it's invaluable to be able to share in other peoples knowledge and experience. It also affords the opportunity to be able to collaborate on projects that might be too much to take on single handedly.

To find out more you can check out Broad Workshop's listing on Make Works here.