Hawkins\Brown has transformed the former Vitra showroom at 30 Clerkenwell Road into a 1,133 sqm studio for our 250 London staff. Designed around creativity, flexibility, sustainability, and wellbeing, the three-floor space serves as a test bed for innovative working methods. It features collaboration hubs, a model shop, and flexible workspaces. The ground-floor Canteen fosters social and professional interactions and engages the wider Clerkenwell community through exhibitions, talks, and installations.

Innovation: We wanted a studio that reflects our ethos, integrates smarter ways of working, and reconnects staff post-pandemic. A welcoming environment encourages collaboration and hybrid working while inspiring creativity. This space energizes staff and fosters engagement, strengthening our connection with clients and the creative community.

Functionality: A coffee bar replaces the traditional reception, creating a more personal experience. Acoustic challenges were addressed with soundproof curtains, high-performing flooring, and ceiling baffles, allowing the Canteen to function as an event space without disrupting work. The entrance, previously too cold, was reimagined with an artist-designed hut by Richard Wood and large-scale planting to filter road pollution.

The workspace supports varied working styles, offering quiet zones, collaborative areas, and adaptable meeting spaces. Thoughtful lighting and natural light maximize comfort. Meeting rooms named Charles and Ray pay homage to Vitra’s legacy and open into a larger space for flexible collaboration.

Creativity: A stainless-steel lozenge serves as a check-in and social hub, encouraging casual interactions. The Canteen is our central gathering place for Monday meetings, events, and external collaborations. Acoustic curtains allow space division for private dining and community use.

The lower-ground floor features a model shop and flexible hub spaces equipped with pin-up boards and mobile screens, supporting blended creativity—seamlessly transitioning between analogue and digital processes.

Eco-Social Impact: Sustainability is at the forefront. Fixtures prioritize natural materials, and existing furniture has been reused or sourced locally. Green energy powers heating and ventilation, with solar window film and manual blinds optimizing energy efficiency.

Our lower-ground floor accommodates 40 bike spaces, showers, lockers, and WCs, promoting eco-friendly commuting. Beyond sustainability, we actively engage with our community—raising funds for charities, mentoring future architects, and partnering with schools across the UK.

Public-facing initiatives like ‘Canteen Conversations’ bring industry professionals together while raising funds for Migrateful, which supports refugees and migrants through cooking classes. Our studio has enabled us to host career fairs, school workshops, and world-of-work programs, inspiring young minds to explore architecture.