Creativity
6 Babmaes Street is an imaginative retrofit of a disused 1970’s building as a hub for networking, events and wellbeing activities. Celebrating the raw concrete shell of the existing building and combining it with finely crafted interiors has created a characterful urban sanctuary with a variety of spaces for people to connect and re-charge. 

Design inspiration was taken from the heritage of St James’s as well as art and furniture from the 1970’s, with commissioned rugs, paintings and murals drawing on geometric shapes and bold colours. Interiors counterbalance textured retro materials - such as hessian, fluted glass and macramé, reflecting the coarse exposed concrete beams - with finely detailed curved timber joinery, polished terrazzo and brushed metalwork. Suspended acoustic ceiling panels finished with timber and rattan hang within the existing structural frame. 

Innovation
Responding to the changing nature of work in cities, 6 Babmaes Street is a new concept in workspace primarily for wellbeing and social interaction rather than desk-based tasks. Fathom Architects had an innovative brief, to provide social and collaborative space for The Crown Estate’s office clients occupying buildings nearby that lacked the provision. Spaces include a wellness studio (doubling as event space), banquette seating booths, meeting rooms, dining spaces, lounge areas and a roof terrace with planted screens and festoon lighting. Connections to nature, tactile finishes, a mixture of vintage & contemporary furniture and bespoke artwork by local artists combine to create a unique and welcoming atmosphere as an alternative to a conventional office setting. 

Functionality
6 Babmaes Street is designed solely for human interaction, providing a relaxed and welcoming space with areas for people to recharge, connect and socialise. Natural light is maximised throughout with large windows and newly created rooflights, and enhanced with greenery at high and low level to create connections with nature. The concept for a 1970s inspired urban sanctuary creates formal and informal areas defined with bold patterned rugs and a mixture of floor, table, track and pendant lights. Sliding glazed and timber screens act as flexible partitions between areas on each floor. 

Sustainability
As part of a wider strategy to rejuvenate existing stock for The Crown Estate, Fathom were tasked with recycling the existing vacant 1970s building to extend its lifespan for a further 10 years and revive its contribution to the local economy. Fathom’s intelligent re-use is in line with BREEAM and WELL principles, preserving the main structure to avoid unnecessary demolition and minimise costly interventions. Adaptations to the building include improved circulation and new glazed rooflights, creating a welcoming and legible space. A new rooftop space creates 200sqm of ecologically rich space to enhance biodiversity and local air quality, as well as reducing rainwater run-off.