In summer 2017 architects Squire and Partners moved their 220 staff to a new home in Brixton, London. Having purchased a dilapidated Edwardian department store two years previously, the practice entirely reimagined the space allowing the existing fabric and layers of history to inform the new design. Collaborating with craftspeople and furniture makers, the restored and extended building provides an exciting array of work and event spaces for the various design disciplines within the practice. Approaching the design the architects allowed the narrative and history of the existing building to guide the process.
Stripping the building back to its raw state revealed a decayed grandeur and an extraordinary commitment to craft and detail by the original artisans of the day and many of these elements have been kept. On the exterior e.g. incrementally added shop fronts and layers of paint were removed to reveal original brickwork, stone, marble and terracotta. Inside invaluable elements such as original 111 year old mahogany and teak parquet flooring, a grand tiled central staircase, a series of cast iron radiators and a remarkable patina of colours have been preserved.
TIM GLEDSTONE, PARTNER IN SQUIRE & PARTNERS
"Working closely with Carl Hansen & Søn throughout the design process, we were able to curate a furniture collection which inspires and delights visitors, and creates a dialogue between masters and apprentices from the great Hans J. Wegner and Kaare Klint in Denmark to Maruni in Japan."
Discover more cases
Lounges
Angel Building
A run-down 80ies building in the heart of Islington was transformed by natural materials and daylight along with a 22 meters tall sculpture, and today the building stands as a modern and thriving office building.
Residences
Villa in Cape Town
Sumptuous rays of daylight, a delicate balance between white, black and gray, and high-quality furniture has transformed a 1929 South Africa cottage into a coherent multi-units home.
Conference rooms
Summit House
Note Design Studio re-imagined Summit House, a 1925 building in the heart of London blending a striking Art Deco façade and a pre-functionalist style of modernism called Swedish Grace with Nordic design.
Restaurants
Restaurant NOVI
Espresso bar by day, cocktail bar with pop-up kitchens by night, the wonderfully relaxing Restaurant Novi has quickly become a new favorite meeting spot in central Cambridge.
Hotel
Hotel Danmark
Inspired by the nearby 1848 Thorvaldsen's Musem created by architect Gotlieb Bindesbøll, the interior team created a distinct color universe to complement the Danish Golden Age furniture style of the hotel.
Hotel
Hotel SP34
The owners of the boutique hotel SP34 have taken hospitality to new heights using furniture so alluring that they invite for touching, along with an open façade that draws the street into the building.
Danish designAuthentic experienceUp to five-year warranty*
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen & Søn, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship where nothing is left to chance. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and we also produce furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjærholm, Bodil Kjær and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen & Søn represents more than 100 years of Danish design history, and our furniture is sold worldwide.
* Five-year warranty on indoor furniture. Two-year warranty on outdoor furniture