To celebrate 10 years in the business, industrial-design studio Blond has refurbished its canal-side studio in East London. The studio’s work pushes the boundaries of design, with a highly intuitive, strategic and research-driven approach across medical products, consumer electronics, packaging, luggage, exhibition design and furniture
“As the team has grown, the studio has had to evolve with us,” says founder James Melia. “Early on, it was about simply having enough space to work, but now there is a need to support collaboration, client workshops, prototyping and different styles of working. Culture has also become a huge priority, and we wanted to create a space that people genuinely enjoy spending time in.”
The renovation has enabled the studio to function more flexibly, as teams and clients can meet face-to-face, hold remote sessions and group workshops. Blond collectively rethought the layout, transforming underused areas to better accommodate these varying workstyles and to encourage a social, cohesive energy in the studio. The new layout has allowed for a second meeting room, a collaborative area for up to 20 people, an extended kitchen, a display area and a breakout space. A larger, closed workshop enhances the studio’s 3D capabilities, supporting an increase in digital fabrication and hands-on prototyping.
The refurb provided an opportunity to apply Blond’s design expertise internally – creating bespoke storage, furniture, lighting and displays. “The architecture had a strong industrial character, which we wanted to preserve as much as possible,” adds Melia. “We leaned into that aesthetic through a pared-back palette of natural wood, stainless steel, exposed structural elements and monochrome tones. The overall feel is intentionally stripped-back, but still warm and welcoming.”
Customised workbenches span one side of the studio, set against white walls and finished in white for a clean and unobtrusive feel. “A lot of it came down to functionality, and the fact that we couldn’t find off-the-shelf pieces that supported either the space or our desired aesthetic,” says Melia. “We designed custom desks with integrated personal storage and concealed hardware to keep the environment as clean and unobtrusive as possible. Maintaining a visually calm space is important to how we work creatively, while still supporting the high-performance hardware needed for our type of work.”
Find out more on Blond’s website here.
