Liverpool

Subterms

    Latest story

    125 Shares199 Views

    SODA offers model for office-to-residential conversions with Roca in Liverpool

    by

    London studio SODA has converted a 1970s office block in Liverpool city centre into a residential building that  includes co-working and wellness facilities.

    The adaptive reuse project sees the 10-storey block, which spent decades as an office for HM Revenue and Customs, transformed into rental homes managed by operator Livingway.
    Communal spaces take up most of the ground floorRoca contains 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus two floors of co-living-style amenities for residents. These include workspaces, a large kitchen, cinema room, gym and treatment rooms and a planted roof terrace.
    Russell Potter, co-founding director at SODA, believes the project can serve as a model for office-to-residential conversions in city-centre locations.
    The design includes mix of flexible lounge and workspaces”The leaps that office design has made over the past decade or two have meant that certain period properties from the 1960s and 70s are perhaps not the most desirable from a commercial point of view,” he told Dezeen.

    “But if they occupy prime city-centre locations, they can offer amazing opportunities to adapt and re-use, to reinvigorate city centres with genuinely flexible and crafted spaces.”
    A timber “activity wall” provides surfaces, seating and storageLivingway’s model is a version of co-living. By offering Roca residents access to communal spaces, in addition to their apartments, it aims to foster a sense of community.
    Many of these shared spaces can be found on the ground floor. Here, various work, lounge and dining spaces are organised around a timber “activity wall” that provides surfaces, storage and seating.
    A communal kitchen is often used for cooking classes and demonstrationsOther interior details, such as folding screens, curtains and fluted glass windows, allow the space to be casually divided into different activity zones when required.
    Sometimes these spaces host workshops or classes, allowing residents to engage with local businesses.

    Chai Guys Portobello cafe interior evokes “the colour of spices”

    “We’re introducing an element of communal activity to act as a hub at ground floor, in a similar fashion to what’s been happening in other co-living arrangements,” said Potter.
    “It means you have the opportunity to create a genuine sense of community within a city centre.”
    The building was previously an office blockOn the apartment floors, the existing floorplates made it possible to create larger homes than typical co-living units, arranged on opposite sides of a central corridor.
    Apartments come fully furnished, with bedrooms and bathrooms separate from the living areas.
    The renovation provides 120 apartments in total”Office buildings typically have slim floor plates with decent floor spans and high proportions of glazing-to-floor area, so make ideal opportunities for residential conversion,” Potter explained.
    “Likewise, floor-to-ceiling heights don’t tend to pose an issue for residential,” he added. “Typically, commercial floor heights are higher than what you expect in residential, meaning that you get better aspects of light into the spaces.”
    The apartments are larger than is typical for co-livingLivingway offers five of these units as hotel rooms, available for short stay. But guests don’t have access to all of the communal facilities; most are reserved for residents.
    Technology plays an important role in the building management. An app allows residents to book certain rooms or sign up for workshops and classes, while digital locks allow access to be controlled.
    The communal spaces feature colours and patterns that reference the 1970sThe interior design approach reflects the building’s 1970s heritage, with furniture and finishes that don’t shy away from colour and pattern.
    Standout spaces include the cinema room, an all-red space featuring large upholstered chairs, tubular wall lights and art-deco-style mouldings.
    Across the rest of the ground floor, the exposed concrete waffle-slab overhead brings an industrial feel that contrasts with the warmth of the wood surfaces and soft furnishings.
    Standout spaces include a cinema screening roomThe homes feature a more subtle palette, with muted tones rather than white, to allow residents to bring their own personalities into the design.
    A similar level of care was brought to the outdoor spaces. These include an informal courtyard on the ground floor and the seventh-floor roof terrace, which incorporates a trio of hot tubs.
    A planted roof terrace includes three hot tubsThe project builds on SODA’s experience of designing shared spaces. The studio has designed various spaces for workplace provider The Office Group (TOG), including Liberty House and Thomas House.
    The collaboration with Livingway came about after the company reached out to the studio via Instagram.
    “It is amazing to see what a beautiful result has been produced and how much our residents truly enjoy calling Roco their home,” added Samantha Hay, CEO for Livingway.
    The photography is by Richard Chivers.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      SODA offers model for office-to-residential conversions with Roco in Liverpool

      by

      London studio SODA has converted a 1970s office block in Liverpool city centre into a residential building that  includes co-working and wellness facilities.

      The adaptive reuse project sees the 10-storey block, which spent decades as an office for HM Revenue and Customs, transformed into rental homes managed by operator Livingway.
      Communal spaces take up most of the ground floorRoca contains 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus two floors of co-living-style amenities for residents. These include workspaces, a large kitchen, cinema room, gym and treatment rooms and a planted roof terrace.
      Russell Potter, co-founding director at SODA, believes the project can serve as a model for office-to-residential conversions in city-centre locations.
      The design includes mix of flexible lounge and workspaces”The leaps that office design has made over the past decade or two have meant that certain period properties from the 1960s and 70s are perhaps not the most desirable from a commercial point of view,” he told Dezeen.

      “But if they occupy prime city-centre locations, they can offer amazing opportunities to adapt and re-use, to reinvigorate city centres with genuinely flexible and crafted spaces.”
      A timber “activity wall” provides surfaces, seating and storageLivingway’s model is a version of co-living. By offering Roca residents access to communal spaces, in addition to their apartments, it aims to foster a sense of community.
      Many of these shared spaces can be found on the ground floor. Here, various work, lounge and dining spaces are organised around a timber “activity wall” that provides surfaces, storage and seating.
      A communal kitchen is often used for cooking classes and demonstrationsOther interior details, such as folding screens, curtains and fluted glass windows, allow the space to be casually divided into different activity zones when required.
      Sometimes these spaces host workshops or classes, allowing residents to engage with local businesses.

      Chai Guys Portobello cafe interior evokes “the colour of spices”

      “We’re introducing an element of communal activity to act as a hub at ground floor, in a similar fashion to what’s been happening in other co-living arrangements,” said Potter.
      “It means you have the opportunity to create a genuine sense of community within a city centre.”
      The building was previously an office blockOn the apartment floors, the existing floorplates made it possible to create larger homes than typical co-living units, arranged on opposite sides of a central corridor.
      Apartments come fully furnished, with bedrooms and bathrooms separate from the living areas.
      The renovation provides 120 apartments in total”Office buildings typically have slim floor plates with decent floor spans and high proportions of glazing-to-floor area, so make ideal opportunities for residential conversion,” Potter explained.
      “Likewise, floor-to-ceiling heights don’t tend to pose an issue for residential,” he added. “Typically, commercial floor heights are higher than what you expect in residential, meaning that you get better aspects of light into the spaces.”
      The apartments are larger than is typical for co-livingLivingway offers five of these units as hotel rooms, available for short stay. But guests don’t have access to all of the communal facilities; most are reserved for residents.
      Technology plays an important role in the building management. An app allows residents to book certain rooms or sign up for workshops and classes, while digital locks allow access to be controlled.
      The communal spaces feature colours and patterns that reference the 1970sThe interior design approach reflects the building’s 1970s heritage, with furniture and finishes that don’t shy away from colour and pattern.
      Standout spaces include the cinema room, an all-red space featuring large upholstered chairs, tubular wall lights and art-deco-style mouldings.
      Across the rest of the ground floor, the exposed concrete waffle-slab overhead brings an industrial feel that contrasts with the warmth of the wood surfaces and soft furnishings.
      Standout spaces include a cinema screening roomThe homes feature a more subtle palette, with muted tones rather than white, to allow residents to bring their own personalities into the design.
      A similar level of care was brought to the outdoor spaces. These include an informal courtyard on the ground floor and the seventh-floor roof terrace, which incorporates a trio of hot tubs.
      A planted roof terrace includes three hot tubsThe project builds on SODA’s experience of designing shared spaces. The studio has designed various spaces for workplace provider The Office Group (TOG), including Liberty House and Thomas House.
      The collaboration with Livingway came about after the company reached out to the studio via Instagram.
      “It is amazing to see what a beautiful result has been produced and how much our residents truly enjoy calling Roco their home,” added Samantha Hay, CEO for Livingway.
      The photography is by Richard Chivers.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Fettle revamps San Carlo restaurant with interiors informed by Milanese villas and gardens

      by

      Architecture and design studio Fettle has unveiled the refurbished interior of the San Carlo restaurant in Liverpool, UK, which was informed by northern Italy’s coastline.

      Located in Liverpool’s city centre, Fettle’s refurbishment was designed to reinvigorate the restaurant and offer a “spectacularly opulent and contemporary take on traditional Italian dining”, the studio said.
      The lighting was chosen to create an overall softnessDuring the redevelopment, Fettle stripped the building back to its existing shell and redesigned each element, from the walls to the flooring.
      The 280-square-metre restaurant also contains a feature bar and a private dining room named The Rosa Room and Wine Sellar, which is located on the lower ground floor.
      The restaurant’s furniture was informed by Milanese villas and gardensSan Carlo’s colour palette takes cues from the hues of the northern Italian coastline and includes greens, blues and pinks.

      Fettle adorned the space with contrasting materials, including timber, brass and marble, which were softened by patterned upholstery made from mohair and leather.
      San Carlo’s colour palette takes cues from Italy’s coastlineThe furniture was designed specifically for the project and was informed by the furniture found in grand Milanese villas and gardens.
      This included fluted oak bar stools with green leather seats and brass bases, marble and timber tables, curved-legged dining chairs and velvet leather seating.
      Fettle aimed to create a space that had an “alluring ambience and timeless sophistication”.”The restaurant offers a spectacularly opulent and contemporary take on traditional Italian dining with elegant interiors inspired by Grand Milanese villas and gardens,” the studio said.
      The lighting was chosen to add a sense of softness to the interior, and includes a mixture of bespoke-designed statement chandeliers, pendant fillings and wall and table lamps to give the space an “intimate glow”.
      The lighting intends to give the space an “intimate glow”.The floor was equipped with colourful terrazzo in a mix of cream, orange and green tones, while the walls were clad in high gloss timber panelling.
      According to the architects, its colour is similar to that of luxury Italian sports cars and the water taxis of Venice.
      The restaurant was also equipped with antiqued mirrored panels that aim to add to the glamour of the space.

      Fettle returns The Georgian hotel in Santa Monica to its 1930s “glory”

      Three eclectic abstract murals by Los Angeles-based artist Jessalyn Brooks are positioned opposite the bar and on the rear wall of the restaurant.
      “We’re excited to unveil the transformation of San Carlo Liverpool,” said the managing director of San Carlo, Marcello Distefano. “The new design is representative of the evolution of San Carlo, a journey we began in 1992.”
      Antiqued mirrored panels decorate the restaurantFettle was founded by designers Tom Parker and Andy Goodwin and specialises in hospitality design and interior architecture.
      Previous projects include the restoration of an art deco hotel in Santa Monica, California, and the conversion of a members’ club for 1 Warwick members’ club in Soho, London.
      Other interior projects recently featured on Dezeen include the transformation of a three-story home into a restaurant in Bogotá that uses natural materials and a travelling gallery by multidisciplinary designer Vanessa Heepen, which includes vintage furniture pieces.

      Read more: More