As socially minded designers, our approach to creating contemporary workplaces is always informed by the desire to nurture creativity and wellbeing in a setting that celebrates the 'as found' qualities of the existing context, along with expressing the ethos of its inhabitants.
Our work typically extends well beyond the site boundaries, seeking the opportunity to activate and rejuvenate the surrounding public realm by creating, whenever possible, green oases of calm where to socialise, work and relax. Moreover we strive to improve urban legibility and connections, which, we believe, are fundamental qualities to create a convivial and pleasant work environment.
Working in Central London, one of the main challenges is often that of designing contemporary, light and open work-spaces that are capable of blending in with their historic setting, whilst maximising flexibility for future adaptation. This was the case for instance of our design proposal for
a new office block in Piccadilly. Our proposed typology contrasts both with the Modernist glazed office block and with the traditional stone building.
While working on the rejuvenation of The Economist Plaza, now
Smithson Plaza, we discovered our passion for modern late 20th century buildings – especially here, where a trailblazing architectural couple set the world of architecture on fire with their radical vision of the workplace and of the city.
Our work has sensitively and imaginatively reconfigured this modernist icon to accommodate contemporary ways of living and working within the existing structure, enhancing public amenity and sensibly improving the ensemble's environmental performance.
In this sense the project can be considered an exemplar for future interventions in 20th century architectures, an issue that is becoming increasingly pressing given our need to reuse and intensify the city rather than building new districts at its outskirts.
