A direct comparison for producers, brand teams and event planners choosing between a single, design-led penthouse in Old Street and a multi-studio production campus in Kentish Town. Both are credible London options — they just suit very different briefs. This page is for anyone weighing intimate, daylight-led shoots and guest-facing events against large-format production days with infinity coves and drive-in access.
Quick comparison
| Spec | The Designer's Penthouse | Spring Studios |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 112–116 Tabernacle Street, Old Street, London EC2A 4LE | Spring House, 10 Spring Place, Kentish Town, London NW5 3BH |
| Nearest station | Old Street (Northern Line) — 4 min walk | Kentish Town — approx. 0.3 miles |
| Format | Single fifth-floor penthouse | Campus of 9 studios in a converted Victorian warehouse |
| Footprint | 250 m² (2,700 sq ft) | 1,350–4,900 sq ft per studio (approx. 125–455 m²) |
| Ceiling height | 3.5 m (11.5 ft) | Up to 25 ft (approx. 7.6 m) in Studios A, B, C, E+F |
| Outdoor space | 35 m² private rooftop terrace | None mentioned |
| Capacity | Up to 30 seated / 50 standing | Up to 300 seated / 250 standing (Studio G+M) |
| Daylight | Yes — south-facing, panoramic | Yes — windows and skylights across most studios |
| Drive-in / load-in | Goods-lift, ground-floor private arrival | Drive-in access on Studios G and G+M |
| Hire rate (from) | £120 / hour (4-hour minimum) | £2,220 / day (4-hour minimum) |
| Equipment included | Smart RGB lighting, 85" 4K display, ceiling audio, 1 Gbps Wi-Fi, kitchen | Wi-Fi, AC, electronic blackout blinds, reclaimed wooden floors, infinity coves (select studios) |
| PA / music | Ceiling audio + Bose S1 Pro presentation kit available | No PA system / music speakers per venue listing |
| Catering | External catering welcome; full kitchen on site | External catering and BYO alcohol permitted |
When to choose Spring Studios
Spring Studios is the right call when the brief is large, production-heavy and capacity-led. With nine studios under one roof, ceiling heights up to 25 ft, drive-in access on selected studios and capacities of 180–300 seated, it is built for full fashion campaigns, vehicle shoots, sizeable runway shows and brand experiences that need both a stage and back-of-house footprint. The Kentish Town campus suits productions that already have crew, kit and a clear technical spec — and that need the room and ceiling height a domestic-scale loft cannot provide. If your shoot calls for a 5–7 m lighting pull-up, an infinity cove, or a 200-guest standing event in a single room, Spring Studios is the more natural fit.
When to choose The Designer's Penthouse
The Designer's Penthouse is the right call when the brief is design-led, guest-facing or intimate, and when location matters. As a single 250 m² penthouse with a 35 m² private rooftop terrace, full south-facing daylight and a working kitchen, it photographs as a real interior — not a hire studio — which suits editorial, lifestyle, brand films, founder interviews, press previews, dinners and workshops up to 30 seated or 50 standing. Old Street puts you four minutes from the Northern Line and inside the East London creative cluster (Shoreditch, Hoxton, Clerkenwell), which matters for press previews, creator events and after-work gatherings. Hourly hire from £120 (4-hour minimum) also makes shorter creator sessions and half-day shoots economically realistic in a way day-rated studio campuses are not.
Detailed feature-by-feature comparison
**Light.** Spring Studios offers a mix of west-facing windows, east-facing skylights and apex roof glazing, with electronic blackout blinds across the campus — strong control for cinematography. The Designer's Penthouse is a single south-facing space with panoramic windows; the light reads as residential and golden through the working day, with a softer, more directional quality that flatters portrait, lifestyle and editorial frames.
**Space and ceiling.** Spring's 25 ft ceilings in the larger studios are simply not comparable to a fifth-floor loft — if you need height for rigging or for a runway, Spring wins outright. TDP's 3.5 m (11.5 ft) ceilings sit in normal-domestic territory, which is what makes the space photograph as an apartment.
**Outdoor space.** TDP's 35 m² private rooftop terrace is the structural difference. Spring Studios does not list a comparable outdoor element. For drinks-on-arrival, golden-hour terrace shots, smoking, fresh-air breaks during workshops, or a press-preview cocktail moment, the terrace is a meaningful asset.
**Capacity.** TDP caps at 30 seated / 50 standing; Spring scales to 300 seated / 250 standing in Studio G+M. Above ~50 guests, TDP is no longer the right venue.
**Equipment.** TDP includes smart RGB lighting, an 85" 4K display, ceiling audio, a Bose S1 Pro presentation kit, 1 Gbps dedicated Wi-Fi and a working kitchen as standard. Spring includes Wi-Fi, AC, blackout blinds, wooden floors and infinity coves on select studios; lighting and grip are typically brought in by the production. The two models reflect different intents: TDP is event-and-content ready out of the box; Spring is a clean stage for a production team to dress.
**Pricing structure.** TDP is hourly from £120 with a 4-hour minimum — friendly to half-days and creator sessions. Spring runs day rates from £2,220 (Studio C) to £6,600 (Studio G+M), which is appropriate for the scale on offer but expensive for shorter formats. [SOURCE NEEDED — could not verify whether Spring Studios offers half-day or hourly rates outside Tagvenue's published day rates.]
**Location and travel.** Old Street is on the Northern Line and inside the EC creative cluster. Kentish Town is on the Northern Line further north, near Camden — strong on production heritage, less central for a Shoreditch or City audience.
FAQ
**Which is cheaper for a half-day shoot?** The Designer's Penthouse: hire starts at £120/hour with a 4-hour minimum (so from £480 for a half-day), versus Spring Studios' day rates from £2,220 (Studio C). For shorter windows, TDP is materially cheaper; for full-day large-studio production, Spring's day rates are appropriate to the scale.
**Which has better natural light?** Both have strong daylight. Spring offers more variety — multiple orientations, skylights, and apex glazing across nine studios. TDP offers a single, consistent south-facing exposure with panoramic windows that read as a real interior rather than a studio.
**Which fits 30 people for a dinner or launch?** Either works at this size, but the experience differs. TDP is a single 250 m² penthouse with a private rooftop terrace, full kitchen and residential feel — a strong fit for 30-seat dinners and 50-guest standing launches. Spring's smaller studios (Studio C at 1,350 sq ft, capacity 80 seated) are larger than needed at this scale and feel more production-warehouse than penthouse.
**Which is better for a fashion campaign with vehicles or a runway?** Spring Studios. The 25 ft ceilings, 4,900 sq ft G+M combined footprint, drive-in access and infinity coves are purpose-built for that brief.
**Which is closer to Shoreditch and the City?** The Designer's Penthouse, by a wide margin. Old Street sits between Shoreditch, Hoxton and the City; Kentish Town is in NW5, closer to Camden and Hampstead.
**Can I bring my own catering / drinks?** Yes at both venues. Spring permits external catering and BYO alcohol. TDP welcomes external catering and has a full working kitchen on site.
Verdict
Spring Studios and The Designer's Penthouse are not really competing for the same brief. Spring is a multi-studio production campus built around scale, ceiling height and infinity coves — the right answer for fashion campaigns, vehicle shoots, large brand experiences and 150–300-guest events. The Designer's Penthouse is a single design-led penthouse built around daylight, a residential feel, a private terrace and a central Old Street location — the right answer for editorial and lifestyle shoots, brand films, founder interviews, press previews, workshops and dinners up to 30 seated or 50 standing. Choose by brief, not by brand: large and production-led goes to Spring; intimate, guest-facing and design-led goes to TDP.