The Brief Aldgate Tower, located at 2 Leman St is a high-profile building of commercial workspace at the urban epicentre of the City fringe and cultural district of Shoreditch; in such a vibrant, well-connected location the building needed a worthy experience to reflect this. The brief was to activate the space by strengthening the building identity and to create a desirable, inviting lobby experience - providing guests and tenants with a social, collaborative space that gives them flexibility and increases appeal for a diverse range of occupiers. Colour in Context The sheer volume of the double height lobby space was previously austere and disconnected – now brought to life with a trio of suspended feature aluminium chains providing a standout feature and focal point to the space. Each canopy frames a bespoke meeting booth below that offer a protected space for socialising or working in a large public space. One of the most memorable and impactful features of the space is the canopy gradation of carefully curated colours that layer over each other, provide a unique design feature that is form, relevance and function successfully intertwined. Throughout the space a thoughtful and contextually relevant material palette is visible. This project employed a natural creative spirit to solve design challenges with an authentic people-centric focus that has meaning, connection and long-term positive impact to people, place, and planet. The use of ceramic and brick is a representation of the iconic Brick Lane and a nod to the east end tube art; the metal on the reception desk and the feature canopies link to the historic metal craft in the area – and the suspension and fluid form canopies are to symbolise the textile industry and market-scape. In reference to the local ‘Brick Lane’ industrial history, an inventive use of standard bricks was used to create a feature bespoke artisan brick wall. The materiality gives the space a soft industrial aesthetic that has an authentic story to tell and grounded connection to place. The brickwork cladding was developed by taking a standard brick and using it in an entirely unconventional way. We worked closely with the contractor, QOB Interiors to solve the challenges of installation and ensure this unique feature was a great success. We love the tactile nature of the bricks and its connection to the historic brick making industry in this area. Planting and greenery are integrated throughout the space to give respite from the busy, urban setting. The palette of materials and colours are layered with references to the vibrant context and history whilst also delivering earthy, comforting tones that welcome visitors with an active, textured space. Curated furniture arrangements are naturally conducive to encouraging interaction between visitors and occupiers as a space to dwell and enjoy. Hospitality Influences The approached the space is with texture and warmth that elevates the hospitality tone of the ground floor whist also making the whole space purposeful and functional. The curated variety of settings with subtle colour and tonal differences give a sense of activity yet an overarching quality of calm and respite. Connection to Place and Community The building is in a desirable, vibrant city fringe location, however the existing ground floor lacked connection to people and place. The 5,000 sq ft ground floor space was under-utilised by the building community and needed a worthy identity and user experience. It was crying out to be anchored authentically to its location and vibrant community assets. People First Approach B-F established a strategic design brief to activate the space, strengthening the building identity and creating a desirable, inviting lobby experience. The user experience strategy was key to providing a social, collaborative space with flexibility and increased appeal to a diverse range of occupiers. The ground floor now has the added value to tenants as they can use the space as an extension to their own workspace and feel connected to the social capital of a wider community. Authenticity The design focused our design response to place, community, craft & culture. Basha-Franklin’s design solution embraces the vibrant culture and history of the area, reinventing it to create an immersive human centred environment expressing texture, colour and biophilic solutions. The authentic and relevant approach adds value to those experiencing the space and this intern heightens the broad appeal to both retain and attract people. Occupiers are delighted with the new space that gives a welcome re-fresh and place to connect after being separated from their friends and colleagues. Environmental impact Re-use and Re-purpose Reducing impact on the environment was key throughout this project. The approach to the design was to evaluate what was good about the existing environment and assess what could be retained to minimise waste. Re-use of materials was employed by removing a large area of existing red suede wall panelling that was unsuitable to retain. This was removed and sent to the innovative product designers, Elvis and Kresse who uses reclaimed leather and materials to repurpose into new, designer products. The existing redundant furniture was also gratefully received and repurposed by a local charity. We retained most of the stone floor and carefully integrated this to new palette. Existing lighting was in good condition, so this also was amalgamated this into the scheme. Net Carbon Zero The new materials and products were selected to meet our own high expectations for high quality, lasting, non-toxic materials. With each project we move closer to creating a carbon zero future. One product that has ticked all the boxes is Cork. We used cork flooring that is made from recycled cork bottle stoppers that has amazing sustainable credentials. For every ton of natural cork material produced, cork oaks fix two tons of CO2 from the atmosphere due to the regenerative farming process. The feature aluminium canopies can easily be recycled and has a circular lifecycle. 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today, making it an ideal metal to be used in our fitouts. Overcoming Challenges This project was also delivered under a new set of challenges that was the first C-19 lockdown period. The fast-paced nature of this project meant that all approvals, coordination, and delivery for this project were carried out during the new experience of lockdown. It is a testament to the team that this project was delivered on time and on budget. By having a clear understanding of what the occupiers of this property, in this specific location would find desirable, Basha-Franklin connected the spectrum of human needs to a purposeful end-user experience. We know that the ground floor may only be 10% of the building area but it provides 90% of the value when creating that first impression for prospective tenants. Basha-Franklin created a juxtaposition from the bustling external, urban environment to the internal, with a space designed for pause, social connection and a sense of belonging that delivered impact and resonance.