Heal's Storage and Workshop, Refurbishment

Before refurbishment the entrance to Heal's storage and workshops consisted of two separate entrances; one leading to a goods yard and one to a small office. Trehearne and Norman merged these two openings behind a glazed screen, fitted into an existing black, granite surround.

In the reception area, the balance between warehouse aesthetic and up-to-the minute office entrance is felt: desk semi-circular, with glass top and flowers, but in place of a veneered or stainless steel front, chunky galvanised metal sheeting and bolted uprights.

The flooring in the entrance is Blanc de Bierge slabs and pavers. The ceiling consists of suspended panels of plywood, secured at the corners by wing-nuts, with holes cut out for pendant lights and sprinklers, a device that has been used throughout the scheme.

Shared corridors, which also serve as escape routes, are narrow. On the floors above, the architect has built new curved walls to the WC's - to diversify routine corridor runs.