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 47,900ft² area of The Smithson building in Farringdon was refurbished to high quality office accommodation, for which Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering, vertical transportation engineering and energy consultancy to achieve an EPC B rating. The refurbished area is spread across basement and ground floor.
