53 Great Suffolk Street was built around 1890 and functioned as a blacksmith and meat factory before being repurposed into office space. The building was extensively renovated and expanded, which greatly increased the amount of available floor space. A new matching bay was put in place of the single-story section, and a new floor was added onto the roof. The designers carefully selected natural materials to create a unique workspace that would complement the building’s existing, raw character. Workers have access to a shared rooftop terrace, which is ideal for hosting outside events and offers exceptional views of the nearby listed warehouse building and the Shard.
By preserving and expanding the warehouse, the building retains the street’s historical significance and enhances social and cultural development in the area. The Great Suffolk Street was also improved by the development, with expanded sidewalks, more green spaces, and new street furniture, like a high-quality public footpath made of paving stones.
The project was awarded several accolades, including the RIBA National Award 2018 winner and BREEAM Excellent.
The 7,600ft² area of 7 Bermondsey Street near London Bridge Station was refurbished to high quality office accommodation, for which Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering and vertical transportation engineering. The refurbished area is spread across basement and ground floor.
The completed site now comprises four detached industrial warehouse units ranging from 14,000sq ft to 36,000sq ft, all with naturally ventilated and heated offices. The two larger units each have an 8 person MRL passenger lift, while the smaller units have been provided with platform lifts. The warehouse area was designed as a shell for future fit-out with capped off utility services.