Three temporary art galleries are opening on the ground floor of the postmodern No.1 Poultry building in the City of London, near Bank tube station. Operated by arts charity Hypha Studios and supported by the Cheapside Business Alliance, the spaces will host 24 exhibitions over the course of a year, starting in September 2025. The first three exhibitions are free and open to the public from Thursday 25th September 2025. Gallery 2, in partnership with art and architecture platform recessed.space, will focus on exhibitions relating to the living environment, while Galleries 1 and 3 will feature a range of contemporary artists and curators. The initiative is part of a meanwhile use programme during a refurbishment of the building’s interior to reduce energy consumption.
This project matters because it repurposes a landmark postmodern building—No.1 Poultry, a notable architectural work—into accessible, free contemporary art spaces in the heart of London's financial district. By offering 24 exhibitions over a year, it provides a sustained platform for emerging and established artists and curators, while also engaging the public with art in an unexpected location. The partnership with recessed.space highlights a growing intersection between art and architecture, and the meanwhile use model demonstrates how temporary cultural interventions can activate commercial spaces during renovations, potentially influencing future urban placemaking strategies.