| 20 mins

Episode 146: Coffee and architecture – A conversation with Mark Sciberras, The Common E2


In today’s episode we speak with Mark Sciberras, Director of The Common E2 and Common Ground Workshop – an East London café and architecture studio specialising in hospitality and residential design.
 
Originally from Melbourne, Mark trained as an architect before moving to London in the mid-2000s. Inspired by the city’s emerging specialty coffee scene, he opened The Common E2 in 2014, creating a space that reflects his design philosophy and passion for community.
 
In this conversation, we explore the synergies between coffee and architecture and how great design can shape the way we interact with spaces, build communities, and create a sense of belonging. Mark also shares his thoughts on the impact of gentrification on East London’s coffee scene and why he advocates for slow, organic growth rather than rapid expansion.

Credits music: Aurora by Matt Kent in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com

Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

Photo credits: Sam A Harris and Peter Landers

Guests

Mark Sciberras

Mark Sciberras

Director, The Common E2

Mark Sciberras is an architecht and owner of The Common E2 - an East London community-led specialty coffee shop and cafe founded in 2014. Sciberras is also the Director of Common Ground Workshop - an architecture studio specialising in hospitality and residential design.

Episode 146

Coffee on the move

Featuring guests Ant Duckworth, Dear Coco, Beatriz Ferreira, Swerl Coffee Roasters

All Episodes
Registered in England. Company No. 8736608
© 2025 World Coffee Portal Ltd.