43 Whitfield Street

We set out to reinvent a tired 1960s building by working with what was already there. For Derwent London, the ambition was to extend the building’s useful life, reduce intervention and create workspace capable of supporting many different occupants over time. A build less mindset guided every decision.

The brief asked for high-quality, enduring interiors with the agility of coworking and the practicality of a single demise. Rather than overwrite the building’s character, we looked for ways to reference it through proportion, colour and detail – allowing the new spaces to feel contemporary while acknowledging their origins. Amenity was key: layouts needed to support different ways of working, with a clarity that avoids constant reconfiguration.

We began by understanding what could be retained and reused. Existing services were refurbished where possible, and finishes were repaired rather than stripped away. New insertions were purposeful and restrained. Subtle nods to the building’s past appear in details such as the custom upholstery, which references the shapes of the terrace’s original balustrade, now restored and refinished. A simple palette of timber, resin and metal complements the structure without competing with it.

Planning was intentionally generous. Floors are organised into clear zones for working, meeting, dining and informal gathering, supported by showers, changing facilities and cycle storage. A new entrance portal frames arrival and leads to a reception that feels open and welcoming. By taking a build less approach, and in turn investing where it matters, the project creates workspace intended to endure and evolve.