London-based interior designers YourStudio has sent us some pictures of its revamp of International Coffee Organization’s global headquarters in Fitzrovia, London. The offices had not been updated for 30 years, so featured an old-fashioned, closed-plan layout. The interior design practice has opened up the interior to create a more contemporary, shared work hub for collaboration, but kept some of its former identity by recycling much of the old furniture.
“The real challenge in this project was to contemporise the work space but in a practical way, which would engage and not alienate workers who had been used to a very different environment,” says Tom Philipson from YourStudio. “Sustainability is always important, but in this case it was even more crucial that we reused old materials, such as the existing vintage designer furniture, to underline the fact that ICO was taking its employees on the redesign journey with them.”
The revamped space is based around a new skylight, which brings natural light into the whole space, with a plant plinth beneath it adding a splash of greenery to the interior landscape. Adjacent to the reception is a dedicated work area with individual desks and small meeting tables, defined by a divider/display case. Near the central hub is a library, partially walled by bookcases and glass partitions, and a private meeting space. Light, open but still familiar, ICO’s offices have been sensitively brought up to date.
