ROSTRUM, COVENT GARDEN

A ‘raw chic’ office fitout in the heart of Covent Garden

The converted warehouse in the heart of the Seven Dials area in London’s Covent Garden provided a perfect location for the business client, but having very long and narrow proportions, the layout had to be approached creatively to maximise its capacity and functionality. 

By placing the staircase in the middle of the linear space, the circulation space was minimised, and the staircase had been crafted to become a visual feature within the office. The workspace offers flexibility in use by creating a series of workstations, meeting and breakout areas as one moves from one end to another, maximising practicality and future adaptation.

As a reputable PR and marketing agency, the client wished for the space to represent their dynamism and originality and also give a nod to the building’s culturally significant association with the modern arts when in the 1960s it formed part of The Arts Lab, where David Bowie rehearsed and performed, and where the first joint artwork of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was exhibited. 

The design response was a ‘raw chic’ look, combining raw plaster and painted OSB, with stylish fittings, herringbone flooring and tiling. Bright yellow walls create joyful accents within the space, whilst the real moss wall and the neon sign frame the staircase void. 

Photography: Francesco Russo