An office that reinforces the culture of a newly formed company through circulation, light and playfulness.

A historic industrial space in Victoria, London, has been re-imagined to provide a fitting new home for U+I. 

U+I is a property regeneration company, launched in November 2015 as the merger of Development Securities and Cathedral Group. The creative, open and brave office design reflects the values of a company that will challenge convention and is looking to the future with confidence.  

The existing red brick Victorian building, built in 1894, has a rich history of change. It has been a Royal Mail sorting office and home to an auction house. The new design strikes the balance of celebrating the history of the building and creating a contemporary working space.

The new design reveals and amplifies the features of the original building. It does this by opening up and exploiting long industrial spans; revealing original Victorian details and further tailors the original fabric by embedding a new architectural layer into the space.

The design also maximises natural light whilst introducing movement and intrigue into the existing volume through the insertion of bold architectural infrastructures. 

Ultimately, this is a truly innovative approach to office design; transforming the space and typology by adapting its performance, amplifying its drama and extending its legacy.

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An office that reinforces the culture of a newly formed company through circulation, light and playfulness.

A historic industrial space in Victoria, London, has been re-imagined to provide a fitting new home for U+I.  The existing red brick Victorian building, built in 1894, has a rich history of change. It has been a Royal Mail sorting office and home to an auction house. The new design strikes the balance of celebrating the history of the building and creating a contemporary working space.

The new design reveals and amplifies the features of the original building. It does this by opening up and exploiting long industrial spans; revealing original Victorian details and further tailors the original fabric by embedding a new architectural layer into the space.

A large central stair, ramp, perimeter mezzanine and suspended boardroom are organised strategically to adapt the original building for use. They create a journey from ground floor reception, gallery and auditorium to first floor office workspace and mezzanine; revealing the collaborative process of development and engaging the culture and community surrounding it. The effect is a varied sequence of narrow, long, tall, dark and light spaces to hide, discuss, meet and discover. 

The central space is freed creating a flexible workspace environment. ARD have curated this with colourful, dynamic furniture and meeting towers that facilitate a range of views and collaborative activities. The workspace becomes a versatile platform for a tight working community, surrounded by a vibrant network of desks. 

Key architectural elements are defined through the use of a single material. Dark grey Valchromat expresses this contemporary layer and gives a strong and consistent response to the existing fabric whilst complementing the industrial finishes. Reflective materials are incorporated to extend the visual plane of rigorously coordinated exposed services, providing diverse readings of the space and forcing natural light deep into the plan. The dark Valchromat is constructed as a build-up of sheets giving thickness to integrate services, lighting, acoustic absorption, storage and archiving forming a holistic architectural infrastructure. This extends its performance beyond purely articulating space and circulation and allows the building to function as a flexible contemporary workplace.

The compelling legacy of this historic building fabric is read through visible traces of the numerous updates, alterations, and uses it has undergone. This innovative approach to refurbishment and office design transforms space and typology by thickening the existing building fabric with a new layer; adapting its performance, amplifying its drama and extending its legacy. The building has proved capable of holding a rich heritage whilst consistently facilitating change to reflect the current needs, imagination, intelligence and audacity of its occupants and will continue to do so as the new home of U+I.

Ultimately, this is a truly innovative approach to office design; transforming the space and typology by adapting its performance, amplifying its drama and extending its legacy.

Photographer: Tim Soar timothy@soargallery.co.uk

Sustainability Statement

The approach to refurbishing the space was to reflect the history of building and the visible traces of the numerous updates it has undergone. We revealed and recycled original finishes and materials; expressing the structure of building by showing concrete slab edges, riveted steel plate girders and columns, exposing glazed brick walls.

The enabling works package required the total strip out of the original Phillips Gallery space back to shell and core. Materials and infrastructures were recycled where possible at Howick or at other sites under development by the client. The existing oak timber flooring was carefully lifted which has enabled it to be reused on the stairways and large areas of the ground floor. Furniture items in the gallery and showcase area incorporate recycled materials to support the changing nature of the space.

Service infrastructures were also recycled. Existing lighting gantries were taken down and reused within some of the clients other buildings. Original air handling units were retained and adapted to increase their capacity for office space. 

All other materials were segregated on site and have been taken away to be reused or recycled, achieving a 95% diversion of waste away from Landfill.

In relation to social parameters the design incorporates a gallery and auditorium space on the ground floor intended to be curated with a programme of events, talks, screenings and exhibitions to engage the public and community surrounding their work.

The team worked in consultation with local residents and produced a newsletter every 2 – 4 weeks throughout the construction period to ensure everyone was well informed.