At Queen’s Studios, an iconic industrial building in West London, Sterlet sought to reposition a 9,500 sq ft first-floor space to enhance its leasing potential while retaining a long-standing tenant. The confidential architectural firm, an occupier in the building for over a decade, wanted a refurbished workspace while also seeking to downsize. This created an opportunity to split the space into three distinct units: a larger Cat A+ fit-out for the architectural tenant and two high-quality Cat A+ suites for prospective tenants. Following a competitive tender, we were appointed to deliver a coordinated solution that satisfied both occupier and landlord objectives, enabling Sterlet to offer a refreshed, versatile product to the market while honouring the historic red brick building in which they were situated.
The transformation began by partitioning the space into three fully self-contained units, each equipped with its own tea point and toilets. Our construction programme involved a tenant-led, landlord-funded approach, ensuring the architectural firm’s requirements were met without compromising the delivery timeline for the other workspaces.
Exposed services were introduced throughout, inspired by the industrial aesthetic of the Pompidou Centre, accentuating the building’s vaulted ceilings. A new internal fire exit was also installed, providing escape routes for all units designed to integrate seamlessly with the building’s overall industrial aesthetic. Collaboration between landlord and tenant project teams was critical, with one construction team delivering all units in parallel to ensure efficiency and quality.
From the outset, our design approach looked to retain as much of the look and feel of the space while also ensuring broad market appeal. All three units share a consistent design language, with warm natural tones seen throughout the individual tea points and toilets, and an emphasis on maximising light to meet the wellness standards of today’s workforces. We partially cleaned the exposed brick that was painted white using a foil remover that resulted in a distinct look, honouring the original look and feel of the building.
For the architectural occupier, the space was designed to support the needs of a bustling firm. Three new meeting rooms of varying sizes were introduced, with exposed brick and original sash windows giving a sense of the building's rich history. A large mezzanine with industrial style balustrades, now housing the firm’s library, makes use of vertical space and provides options for alternative working areas. The mezzanine is accessed via a newly constructed bespoke staircase built with black banisters thoughtfully designed to complement the building’s character and feel integral to the space.
In the landlord’s two Cat A+ units, design choices were aimed squarely at attracting a diverse range of prospective tenants. One unit features a striking spiral staircase leading to a newly added mezzanine, a valuable addition that created extra square footage, instantly boosting its appeal to space-conscious businesses. The other suite offers an open layout and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light.
The completed scheme ensures the architectural occupier now benefits from a workspace optimised for their needs, while Sterlet has two high-specification, flexible units positioned to meet the demands of the competitive West London market. The addition of the mezzanine, adaptable layouts, and refined finishes all contribute to a compelling leasing proposition. These spaces demonstrate how thoughtful design and build can increase a building’s market appeal, preserve valued occupiers, and ultimately enhance long-term value.
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