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    Norm Architects uses “natural forms” and steel details for Chancery House interior

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    Danish studio Norm Architects has worked with pale wood, red bricks, sandstone and stainless steel to create the interior of The Office Group’s Chancery House workspace in London.

    Located above the subterranean Silver Vaults market in London, the 1953 building was given a retrofit by dMFK Architects with a new interior by Norm Architects for The Office Group (TOG).
    It now houses workspaces as well as a gym, a yoga studio, a cafe, a library, event spaces and saunas in an 11,612-square-metre space.
    The interior features brick detailsNorm Architects drew on the building’s existing design when creating the interiors, which it says are rooted “in the spirit of the building”.
    “In this effort to draw in what was already there, we have integrated the traditional red bricks of the facade in the interior in a modern way,” Norm Architects’ Sofie Thorning told Dezeen.

    “This way, the chosen materials are more accentuated than the ones we normally work with, but still with our usual focus on creating comfortable and calm spaces through the use of natural materials,” she continued.
    Wood was used throughout the spaceThe ground floor was reconfigured by dMFK Architects to improve the flow of the building, with the entrance to Chancery Lane made larger.
    This level holds the cafe as well as lounge areas, which were decorated by Norm Architects using mainly wood and brick materials.
    Floor-to-ceiling glazed walls offer views and access to two interior courtyards, which also let light into the building.
    Norm Architects played with natural materials”By working with natural forms, materials and colors we create spaces that feel good, look good and that last,” Thorning said.
    “When combining soft and hard materials like textile and bricks, the space feels stimulating to the user, while also exuding this warmth that is so important in order to both work and relax in the spaces of the house.”
    Workspaces are located on the upper floors of the buildingThe same material palette was used for the workspaces, which are located from the first floor and up in the eight-storey building.
    Norm Architects also restored some existing materials in the building’s communal spaces.

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    “The dominant materials, colours and patterns of the space all stem from the existing building, [which is] why red bricks, sandstone, concrete, and stainless steel are at the center of attention,” Thornig explained.
    “Moreover, we have preserved existing terrazzo elements in staircases and hallways, while mirroring the green elements of nearby parks within the internal courtyards.”
    Silvery steel details nod to the Silver Vaults below the buildingIn addition, the studio wanted to nod to Chancery House’s location above the Silver Vaults by using silver-coloured materials.
    “Since the London Silver Vaults are a big part of the building’s history and will continue to be so, we knew right away that we wanted to pay homage to it in the interior,” Thorning said.
    “We decided to introduce both brushed and polished stainless steel to the material palette as a representation of silver, carrying it out as details and joinery throughout the building.”
    A jute rug contrasts a patterned-stone coffee tableThe pale wood and red brick used throughout the building were matched with rustic textures, jute rugs and bobbled pillows to add to the natural feel of the interior.
    The building’s exterior was clad in WasteBasedBricks, which incorporate a minimum of 60 per cent recycled building waste. On Chancery House’s roof terrace, warm rust-red steel garden furniture matches the red hue of the brick walls.
    “We wanted to create a project that was mindful of the character of the area, capturing the spirit of the place in the hope that it will serve the neighborhood as a hub grounded in its context,” Thorning concluded.
    Steel and brick decorate the interiors of Chancery HouseNorm Architects often works with natural materials. Other projects by the studio include a “hotel in the sky” in Japan and an inside-out-greenhouse restaurant.
    The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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      David Thulstrup brings industrial colours and textures into Borough Yards office

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      The brick arches and warehouse buildings of London’s Borough Market informed the materials and furnishings of The Office Group’s latest workspace, designed by Copenhagen-based Studio David Thulstrup.

      Located at Borough Yards, the office forms part of a new retail development designed by architecture studio SPPARC in the spaces in and around an old railway viaduct.
      The colour palette takes cues from the surrounding brick architectureInterior designer David Thulstrup and his team designed the interiors to subtly match the colours and textures of the surroundings, using earthy shades, metal details and largely pattern-free surfaces.
      The ambition was to resonate with the industrial aesthetic, but to still create spaces that felt warm and comfortable.
      Details include tinted glass screens and colour-block rugsKey inspirations were the brick railway arches and the green glass market canopy, which are echoed in details that include high-gloss green wall surfaces and block-printed rugs.

      “I really enjoy when I get to connect myself to somewhere that has a sense of a place, and that has history that I can tap into, and then extract those essences into the project,” said Thulstrup.
      “To me, the brand DNA of The Office Group (TOG) is that they allow the architects to incorporate their own design philosophy into a project. I think that’s what I’ve succeeded with here,” he added.
      The building offers a range of different workspaces and meeting areasThulstrup has worked on a number of high-profile interior projects, including the Noma restaurant in Copenhagen.
      TOG at Borough Yards is the first space that he has designed for The Office Group, which has more than 50 workspaces across London and Germany.

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      The 4,700-square-metre workspace spans two buildings – a converted former warehouse and a new brick-clad block – and is organised over five floors.
      At its entrance sits a double-height lobby, framed by a large right-angled reception desk in brushed metal and a gently curving couch.
      The lobby features a brushed metal reception desk and high-gloss green wallsThis leads up to a range of workspaces and facilities, including private offices, flexible co-working spaces, meeting rooms, breakout areas, phone booths, an audio room and a Peloton workout studio.
      Colours vary subtly between spaces; some are dominated by brown and gold tones, while others work with monochrome shades of black and grey.
      The colour palette includes a range of soft grey and brown shadesThulstrup created several bespoke furniture and lighting designs, combining different wood tones with Kvadrat textiles.
      “I like the idea of working with custom-made objects, my own productions, others’ designs, even sometimes vintage pieces – melting these different levels together creates a really beautiful atmosphere,” said the designer.
      “I want to make sure that when people come back to this place after five years that they still feel it is relevant,” he continued. “It’s about creating an inviting, inclusive, quality-driven atmosphere, and also a place where people want to stay.”
      Some spaces are picked out in blackTOG at Borough Yards is the latest in a series of workspaces that The Office Group has unveiled since the pandemic, following 210 Euston Road by Universal Design Studio and Liberty House by SODA.
      The brand aims to develop a unique design for its spaces to reflect the character of their settings.
      David Thulstrup designed bespoke furniture for the projectNasim Koerting, head of design for The Office Group, said this latest offering “respects and responds to the rich architectural and industrial history of the area without being in thrall to it”.
      “We’ve created a space that takes inspiration from its surroundings, while serving the modern-day needs of the design- conscious workplace,” she said.
      Photography is by Ben Anders.

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      Universal Design Studio draws on libraries and members' clubs for Euston workspace

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      London-based Universal Design Studio’s interiors for The Office Group’s latest workspace in Euston was informed by nearby buildings including the British Library.

      Called 210 Euston Road, the interior was created by Universal Design Studio together with workspace provider The Office Group (TOG’s) head of design Nasim Köerting, and nods to the many well-known institutions that are located in the same London neighbourhood.
      A cafe sits on the ground floor of the office building”Quite simply, the design was inspired by the location,” Köerting told Dezeen. “210 Euston Road is flanked by a host of influential national institutions, including the British Library, the Royal College of Physicians and the Wellcome Trust.”
      “These illustrious neighbours inspired our ambition to create a classic yet contemporary institution-like space that references the surrounding centres of learning and knowledge,” she added.
      Inside, wooden floors and decorative lamps create an organic feelThe 6,400-square-metre, seven-storey building was redeveloped to create more than 800 workspaces.

      Its ground floor houses a cafe that is open to the public, as well as a large reception and a residency space.
      Bright furniture offsets neutral wall coloursTwo of the building’s upper floors will be used as offices for individual businesses, while other floors have smaller office units as well as co-working spaces.
      To create a space that would be made to last and “reference an institution but not be institutional”, the designers looked to the architecture of buildings including the British Museum and University College London, Universal Design Studio associate director Carly Sweeney explained.
      Spaces were informed by library reading rooms”One of the hero points of the design references the traditional reading room that is found in these spaces – a library arguably being the original coworking space,” she said.
      “To echo this we created a hidden coworking lounge – this space cannot be seen from the outside and the hidden nature lends to the feeling of privilege to be there. ”
      A bar clad in dark tiles decorates the seventh-floor members’ spaceTo give each space in the large building a different feel, Universal Design Studio worked with a material palette that changes as the floors ascend, culminating in a members’ bar on the seventh floor that has a tiled bar and a ceiling made of tactile cork.
      “The public-facing ground floor is light and airy, with a ‘library’-style interior that features a cork floor, timber screens, bespoke reading lights and leather detailing on the desks,” Sweeney told Dezeen.

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      “As you travel up through the building, the seventh floor feels much more like a members’ club,” she added.
      “This space is more luxurious, there is again an abundance of light here so to create a contrast we used a darker palette. There is rich material tactility via the tiled island and upholstery.”
      The lobby has a rope-like neon light installationUniversal Design Studio’s references to the surrounding buildings in the Euston area are perhaps most notable on the ground floor, where a decorative neon light installation above the reception desk draws to mind the neon installations in the windows of the Wellcome Collection across the road.
      In a meeting room next to the lobby, decorative sculptures and vases seem to nod to the nearby British Museum, while a collection of oil paintings on the wall will be regularly replaced, like in a gallery space.
      A library-style space is livened up by an undulating ceilingThe studio also added an unusual undulating ceiling to the library-style ground floor room, creating an eye-catching detail in the room, which has an otherwise muted design with cream and wood colours.
      Specially designed slim reading lights in a purplish-blue hue add a touch of colour.
      Wooden materials are used throughout the building”As with other noteworthy institutions we wanted to create a moment that makes anyone entering the space feel grounded,” Sweeney said.
      “It is cathedral-like in its stature but also cocooning,” she said of the ceiling.
      “It allows for a change of pace in one of the most special spaces in the building. Similar in nature to other institutions such as the ceiling in the British Museum, it also creates a ‘moment’ upon entering the space.”
      The top floor has a roof terrace with a view over EustonThe building is the first TOG workspace to open since the coronavirus pandemic began and its design aimed to reflect the changing needs of the workplace once people began coming back to the office.
      “We landed on the aim to create an environment that one couldn’t replicate in the home – a space that could attract people back to the workplace without compromising freedom and flexibility,” Köerting said.
      “We achieved this by providing plenty of choice and myriad amenities.”
      TOG and Universal Design Studio designed the space during the pandemicUniversal Design Studio also created the lobby for a Hopkins Architects-designed office in the City of London, which features railway-informed terrazzo tracks on the floor.
      Other TOG locations in London include a workspace close to department store Liberty and a 1930s building with pops of colour designed by Note Design Studio.

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