These offices for a graphic design company were converted from a victorian brick warehouse. The existing building contained a series of disparate floor levels and structural brick stairs which had to be completely removed and a new extension built to allow fully a serviced, 21st century office to be inserted into a 19th century industrial building.

By weaving a new structural steel frame into the shell, new open-plan office floor plates were made possible. To guarantee the optimum amount of natural light, voids were cut into the upper floors and large rooflights with electrically controlled louvres were introduced. Continuous lighting rafts on each floor supplement natural light when necessary. A new stair was also inserted in the centre of the plan to comply with building regulations and bring logic to the circulation.

At ground level the surface treatment to the floor gives the impression that the street surface runs right into the heart of the building. In the reception area a custom made reception desk acts as a display case for the studio’s award winning work. A mirrored circular pod for informal meetings is placed in the space as abstract, functional object.

A new storey was added to the roof of the existing building. This top storey contains a pair of boardrooms separated by a moveable acoustic screen, creating a space which can be adapted from meeting rooms to a large reception and function space for entertaining clients.