Offices designed for the future, grounded in the past

Observation as a design tool

This starts with understanding the neighbourhood.

By the time each employee steps inside their office, they’ve already travelled through a London landscape rich with character and history.

The architectural timeline of London is striking. Today’s office buildings sit within centuries worth of design from the Victorian terraces of Mayfair to the gothic architecture of the Royal Courts of Justice and Tudor façades like St. James Palace. Everyday moments like grabbing a coffee in a refurbished café, pausing at restored shopfronts, or ending the day in the pub on the corner, weave this heritage into the daily rhythm of office users.

Their arrival at the office doesn’t need to feel like a sudden shift into an isolated space.

Incorporating local heritage and the original features of streets and buildings can be an impactful way to reinforce familiarity and belonging. This can be achieved in a range of ways, including the use of visual cues and thoughtful references to past designs, introducing them to the newly reimagined office spaces.

Our designers apply this approach to many of our projects across London. Whether reviewing historical archives, studying the building’s past, or exploring the neighbourhood on foot, learning what we can about the inherited space allows us to use the wider history of a neighbourhood as a design tool. Our teams then translate these observations into design decisions that connect the workplace to its backdrop.

Translating history into office design

Connecting an office design with the neighbourhood can begin with something as simple as how people arrive. When designing the office fit-out for the Royal College of Veterinary Sciences (RCVS), a review of historical archives revealed the building’s original entrance on the corner of the street. Moving it back to its original location not only increased accessibility but also re-established a stronger sense of continuity with the street.

Inside, retaining the shape and structure of the space further grounded the modern design in its building’s heritage. The design team chose not to conceal the steel beams with fire-rated plasterboard and instead applied intumescent paint. This allowed us to meet modern standards while preserving the industrial character of a building that was once part of Clerkenwell’s printing and textiles district.

Sometimes the shapes in a space don’t come from what you inherit inside but instead are inspired by the heritage you can see outside. At a recent project in Soho, the office windows looked out onto brick arches on the building opposite. We echoed these shapes in the event space we designed, creating visual continuity between interior and exterior. Stepping into the piano lounge, the art deco arches in the seating booths now align with these brick arches, helping people feel connected to the neighbourhood rather than separated from it.

Preserving original features also helps maintain continuity between the building’s past and future. On our Chancery Lane office refurbishment project, the travertine stone wall marked with an ornately carved ‘22’ became a focal point of the entryway design, creating a tangible link to the building’s history. Warm oak panelling was added to sit alongside the travertine, softening the transition between old and new without feeling like a harsh contrast.

Informed colour palettes and considered materiality

Similarly, using a colour palette that complements existing materials can help them feel naturally integrated. At RCVS, earthy natural tones were chosen to blend the industrial materials with modern elements, creating a cohesive environment.

Textiles are an effective tool in echoing historic details without copying them directly, creating tactile connections that feel familiar. Woven fabrics in the tea point bench at 22 Chancery Lane for example, reflect the patterns of nearby brickwork, subtly echoing the textures of the street outside. Elsewhere, a vertical black-and-white tile pattern references the timber-and-plaster façade of Staple Inn down the road further grounding the design in the character and history of the surrounding area.

At 80 Strand, the workplace design for ECI Partners draws on the building’s art deco heritage. Overlooking the Southbank, the reception immediately anchors the office in its setting. Inside, details such as the brass trim around the inset oak chevron flooring and the refined coffered wall panels echo the building’s original art deco materiality and details. These touches allow the space to feel both contemporary and firmly rooted in the building’s heritage, giving visitors an immediate sense of place the moment they arrive.

By applying these principles thoughtfully throughout our projects, we can extend the journey through the local streets into the office interior, creating a space that feels grounded in local history.

Office design that is felt by its occupants

These choices go far beyond aesthetics. They affect how people feel in a space. Our brains register familiarity in the materials, colours, and shapes around us. A workplace design that integrates the architectural history of the neighbourhood into its design creates something truly special, connecting people not just to the office but to the city around them.

Designing future workplaces can build on what already exists. By listening to the building, the neighbourhood, and the people who will bring it to life we can create timeless spaces that respect the past and reinterpret it for today; office designs that help people feel grounded in the places they work.

Ready to transform your office? Contact us to speak with our expert team at Peldon Rose today.