Project Team
-
Poltrona Frau, Walter Knoll, Vitra, Cassina, Pinetta, Optima, Tsar, Quadmod, Kvadrat, Kreon, Tom Dixon, Penta, GD Stone, Domus, Vola, Dornbracht, Antonio Lupi, Fitzroy of London, Proox, LSA, Hobby Flower, The Thornton Partnership, Derwent London, Benchmark, SCP, TwentyTwentyOne, Peter Deer Associates, Akera Engineers
Text provided by dMFK Architects
dMFK’s reimagination of 1970s office building 45 Whitfield Street delivers 10,557 sqft of wellbeing-focused flexible workspace. Situated in the heart of Fitzrovia, the carefully crafted refurbishment has enhanced the materiality, identity and street presence that had been diluted through successive historic interventions. The 1970s building had been subjected to a series of fit outs over the past half-century and no longer met the needs of today’s workplace market. dMFK’s approach to delivering a successful, lasting refurbishment was to view the project as a restoration of 45 Whitfield Street to its true self; finding joy in its unloved assets whilst solving problems that have emerged alongside evolving ways of working.
In response, dMFK’s architectural design has carefully introduced new legibility throughout 45 Whitfield Street; improving connections across and between each floor, activating the ground level to create a clearly defined, inviting entrance, and transforming the basement into state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities. The lozenge-shaped precast concrete fauçade panels, original sapele window linings and stainless-steel façade panelling have informed the design of new bespoke curved timber entrance doors and reception frontage, crafted to add warmth to the raw palette of concrete and steel. Inside delivers varied workplace provision responding to continually evolving working habits, providing the right space for the right task during the working day. The weight and materiality of new elements dovetail with the original building language to wear-in and age in tandem.
