12 Printing House Yard

Replacing the century old crittall windows and rooflight, prone to leaking and not fit for purpose to create a more energy efficient and watertight workspace. The unit is part of the Perseverance Works complex, is locally listed and part of the wider Kingsland conservation area. The task was simple at first; investigating the current condition of the unit and overseeing the replacement of the glazing but upon further investigations into the potential of the space, they saw opportunities to add value and create something unique to the space. They were acutely aware of the needs of small businesses such as themselves and looked to maximise the internal layout of the space through testing different options for layouts and materials that would be more enticing for creative SMEs. This culminated in the design and construction of a new mezzanine space, creating an enclosed meeting room below and a chill space on the mezzanine floor. The mezzanine is a construction of a composite of structural timber and Valchromat, a wood fibreboard material and added 15% more floor space. Valchromat was a material they sought to use due to its unique properties (made from recycled softwood, moisture-resistant, and greater load resistance than MDF) and its final finish. They explored the limits of the product, both as an internal finish but also structurally which culminated in the final design of the mezzanine space. The new glazing, approved by Hackney Council, replaced the single-glazed timber units with heritage aluminium double-glazed windows, doors and rooflight. Works also included a new kitchen unit, enlarged WC room and new lighting. Works started on site in the summer of 2022 and the new tenants moved into the unit in November 2022.