4-5 Blenheim Place

The project involved a comprehensive strip out of the existing interior with new stairs, toilets and fitted furniture to create a contemporary office for their expanding architectural practice.

The existing building was grade A listed and consisted of ground, basement and a small mezzanine level. At basement level, the building was split into two properties and significant structural alterations were required to connect the spaces together. Access from ground to basement was by way of a ladder. The basement was damp with poor day lighting. The mezzanine level had reduced headroom and was unsuitable for continued use.

The mezzanine level was stripped out entirely to restore the historic ceiling heights and connect the deep plan ground floor from back to front. Existing large window openings to the rear of the building were restored to create a bright, day-lit office space.

A new stair was located in the middle of the plan which helped define different working zones within the office; a welcoming reception space, an informal meeting/gathering space, core working office spaces to the perimeter of the plan, kitchen and bathroom facilities at basement level, and a formal meeting room accessed through the office library which doubles as a further informal break out space. Visitors can access the meeting rooms without walking through working areas, while still keeping an open plan layout so clients can see the office working and staff can communicate and meet informally for design reviews, meetings, lunch etc.

The existing facade, which had previously been painted bright red, was surveyed, re-pointed where needed and painted a dark grey to better complement the surrounding properties.

Materials were carefully considered in terms of function and cost. OSB, a cheap building board more commonly used for sheathing or formwork, was used as a finished joinery product for all fitted furniture and interventions. OSB was also used to form the carcass of the new stair, which wrapped over to create storage units at ground floor level, and also to clad the walls in the new bike store, where bikes are hung from wall mounted hooks to save space, and the OSB cladding stops dirty tyres marking the walls.

It was complemented by a hard wearing, industrial linoleum floor, simple white desks, and clean, painted wall finishes. This minimal, industrial aesthetic kept costs down, while displaying ISA’s design abilities. Highlights of colour were introduced through loose furniture and fabrics, selected by ISA’s Interior Design team.