New headquarters for international furniture maker Brunner, converting a historic warehouse on Rosebery Ave. in Clerkenwell into a light spacious gallery showroom and offices, in the heart of London’s design quarter.

Set in an unusually long narrow industrial 1890s warehouse building, the new showroom is part of Brunner’s long term plan to expand its UK operations and dramatically increase the brand’s public face.

Our response to Brunner’s brief was to strip back the building’s interior to reveal original key features of the building’s industrial heritage, including steel beams and sandblasted brickwork. A calm palette of materials and colours was then introduced, including a monolithic pale grey resin to all three floors, forming a theatrical and unified backdrop for the furniture displays.

Voids were opened up and a powerful linear floating staircase added to connect the three floors. The black waxed steel staircase forms a strong dark ribbon threading through the existing structure, unifying the space. Also complementing the building’s vast scale, a new 2.7m wide pivot door makes a striking entrance, and has been finely engineered to require only the lightest touch to open.

New full size shop-front windows show off Brunner’s furniture to full effect, while hanging chairs are displayed in the double-height voids, highlighted with atmospheric lighting casting dramatic shadows of the furniture.

The new double-glazed, thermally broken windows and door contribute to the overall environmental upgrade of the space. Catering facilities allow for special events / receptions.

We were appointed Architect, Interior Designer, Project Manager and Contract Administrator. 

“Today we occupy a spectacular new showroom of which we are very proud. In my view it’s one of the very best of its type, not just in the UK but in Europe... thanks to the Architects, our professional team and a very dedicated contractor.”

David Shirley - Brunner UK Ltd, Managing Director