The concept behind IA Interior Architects’ new London studio at Harella House is based on the premise that work is an activity, not a place. The space inspires innovation and enables interpersonal experiences that can only happen face-to-face, all within the warmth, casual comfort, and ambience of home.
The team was drawn to Harella House, home to a UK clothing exporter in the 1930s, during the site selection process. Now upgraded, the building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating and a significant reduction in carbon emissions. The structure’s fourth floor with pitched roof, huge open area, large windows, mezzanine, terrace, and architectural features of wood and brick seemed ideal.
Entered at the Landing Lounge, the studio exudes a hospitality feel that moves into the Kitchen—the names of studio zones reference domestic life to signal the transition—with its large communal table and additional seating options, then flows to the Den, one of three breakout areas, which serves multiple functions from social gatherings to game room to space for respite and decompression. Behind the Kitchen is the Haven, a second breakout space, smaller, more intimate, a place for meditation, a mothers’ room, or to focus your energy before an important presentation. Throughout the studio, all areas easily move into one another, breaking down customary boundaries.
