Tucked amongst the quiet lanes of Hammersmith, our refurbishment has transformed this mews into a playfully considered studio space for landscape architect Marcus Barnett and his team.

With the building dating back to the early 1900s, our primary challenge was retaining the essence of a building’s character and relationship with the streetscape while creating a sequence of spaces that reflect the company’s personality and suit the team’s pragmatic requirements.

Promoting well-being at work, Fluid Workspace supports this healthy work-life balance through its design, clearly distinguishing between the primary workspace on the loft-like first floor and the social gathering spaces below.

Upstairs, our design took full advantage of the potential of the pitched roof space by housing one large communal workspace. Generous bench desks allow staff to collaborate or retreat to their individual work stations with clear views across the room. To one end, an acoustic glazed screen encloses a separate meeting room. This responds to the need for acoustic privacy for formal meetings while maintaining a distinct sense of transparency that reflects the values at the heart of the company.

Timber is as a key component, with birch and poplar used in the joinery and bespoke oak furniture. It can be seen in the hand-crafted ceiling that brings the team ‘under one roof.’ Made from individual wood slats, each is marked with a series of notches. When suspended, the notches come together to form an undulating line reminiscent of the curves and contours found in natural landscapes.

The ceiling design engages with the positioning of the original, restored skylights, filtering the sunlight into the space. Close collaboration with a lighting manufacturer also led to the creation of special downlights designed to nestle between the slats.