76 East Road – Thirdway

Drawing on the architecture of the building, we incorporated Art Deco motifs throughout but reinterpreted in a modern way. Our use of geometric patterns and vibrant hues invite energy and creativity, providing an environment that feels both inspiring and professional. This is especially apparent in the tea point, with a vivid burgundy, painted in a curved shape to ‘introduce’ the space. As you move into the main part of the tea point, this curved shape is continued with the inclusion of a curved ceiling feature. While this design feature was predominately included to maintain the circular motif, it also had a practical intention – the tea point originally had mechanical equipment over this area, making the area feel dark and boxed in. To overcome this, we dropped the ceiling and added this curved finish, alongside spotlights with a light, natural coloured paint, hiding the mechanical equipment while also adding a brightness to the area.

A bold colour story

The colour scheme used in this project is arguably one of the standout elements of the space, with our choices throughout being both bold and sophisticated. We opted for vivid deep red tones that add energy to the space while incorporating calming forest greens, and neutrals to juxtapose this bold colour. The burgundy red cabinets in Tea Point were a collaborative choice made by both the designer and client, opting for this daring choice to add to the unique character of the space – this then influenced the vivid red limewash walls in the adjoining breakout area. To contrast against this vibrant colour choice, we opted for a more toned-down and soothing forest green in the main workspace and boardroom, ensuring that these areas were spaces which fostered a tranquil working environment. This fusion results in a space that is visually compelling and timeless.

While our choice of colour was distinct, we also emphasised texture throughout the space, using the raw texture and mood of the concrete flooring to provide a tactile contrast to the vibrant wall finishes and geometric patterns, creating striking visual harmony. These choices enhance the building’s industrial charm and the trendy nature of the location while infusing it with a fresh, modern appeal.

Designing for Flexibility and Adaptability

The primary challenge was to design an office that was not only visually striking but also flexible enough to meet the changing needs of future tenants. The space had to be adaptable for various business requirements, offering the versatility to host everything from private meeting rooms to collaborative work areas, while still making a visual impact. In application, we met this brief of flexibility by only including 3 built elements (2 meeting rooms and a Tea Point), giving future occupiers full license to personalise the space to their own needs. As well as this, we created multiple ‘casual’ workspaces throughout, adding to the adaptability of the space. This flexibility is fully embedded into the CAT A+ design, providing future occupiers with examples of how they can personalise the space, but also adding significant long-term value to the property.

Cohesive Design Language

With our remit on this project being both the CAT A fit-out of the ground floor and CAT A+ fit-outs of the reception space and first floor, we wanted to make sure the design language was cohesive and consistent throughout.

To achieve this, we used the same product for the Tea Points on both floors, but in different finishes. This set them apart and ensured each floor had its own identity while still feeling uniform with each other. Alongside this, we used the same colour story in the reception area as in the CAT A+ space on the first floor. The green and sand-coloured split paint in the reception space, mirrors the forest green used in the boardroom of the first-floor space, while the sand colour is reminiscent of the neutral tones throughout. More subtly, we used a plaster effect/limewash paint in both areas to resemble the raw texture of the concrete floors and further enhance the industrial feeling of the space. The circular motif seen in the CAT A+ space is also implemented in the reception space, with a circular shape created with contrasting flooring to frame the seating area.