18 Clerkenwell Close is a contemporary and comfortable workplace designed by HUT Architecture
London-based HUT Architecture has transformed the cramped and tired 1970s brick building at 18 Clerkenwell Close into a welcoming workplace. It stands on the site of 19th-century building, once the home of the Watercress and Flower Girls ’Mission, which had distinctive arched windows and doors as well as a variation of the green colour found in many of the other buildings in Clerkenwell Close. This historical context informed the design of the retrofit. “We used this arch in varying scales and textures throughout the interior, combining natural materials and green hues to add modernity,” explains Alicia Sardi, HUT project architect.
The building’s history is shown in the rich material use throughout. HUT repurposed and reused steel beams in new locations, extended existing brick walls with brickwork to match, and new extension structures were built from timber with steel framing. The building has been wrapped in insulation, which creates a comfortable internal environment, and the basement has been thoroughly waterproofed. “Retrofitting has so many benefits,” says Sardi. “We are fortunate at HUT to be very experienced in reusing buildings across typologies. Clearly there are huge benefits with sustainability, working with a material-first approach. But existing buildings also hold this rich catalogue of unique history, which is something I enjoy discovering. We always celebrate the previous lives of the building in our work, which helps the architecture to be grounded.”
All floors have been opened up and flooded with natural light, and four out of five of the offices have direct access to fresh air with outdoor terraces. Common areas have been completely refreshed, unified with the green colour palette and arch motif. The offices are now open plan but small meeting rooms with glazing provide privacy without excluding others. A roof extension has allowed for additional office space and a terrace, and there are plenty of warm textures throughout the interiors, courtesy of natural oak panelling, Allsfär Örra acoustic wall coverings and tactile Under The Bell lamps by Muuto.
The retrofit has been carried out with health and wellbeing in mind. “One of our primary aims is for people to feel relaxed and connected,” says the architect. “To achieve this I chose a lot of design touches that are more usual in a home setting, aiming to breach the gap between home versus office expectations. This chimes with the rise of wellbeing in the workplace, and how important holistic wellness is for people to be at their best. There is a mix of types of space too, places for focus, for conversation and for inspiration.”
Photography by Peter Ghobrial
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