How can new development acquire the eclectic character of cities that grow in a piecemeal way over time? That’s the question asked by the creators of the Design District, a studio complex for the creative industries in south-east London, which opened for business on September 15th. Their response was to appoint eight architects to design a cluster of 16 buildings – two apiece – and instruct them to work in isolation, without reference to each other. The aim was to foster variety, avoid compromise and allow for the operation of serendipity. The result is an exuberant jumble of eccentric structures which bursts with ideas but avoids collapsing into chaos thanks to a rigorous masterplan by architect HNNA.