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Monday 27 December 2021

Fathom Architects designs London office with more meeting areas than desks

Kitchen and dining space in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects

With the trend for remote working continuing, Fathom Architects has designed an office for property group The Crown Estate "for all the stuff that happens away from your computer screen".

Located in St James's, London, 6 Babmaes Street responds to the fact that The Crown Estate's staff have been largely working from home since the pandemic.

Acknowledging that not all activities can be completed effectively at home, the building primarily offers spaces for colleagues to come together or meet with customers.

First floor seating booths in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — The office is designed to promote wellness and collaboration

There are few places to sit down and work individually at a computer; instead, spaces are designed with a focus on meetings and collaboration.

"The post-Covid office landscape needs rethinking," said Harry Godfrey, associate at London-based Fathom Architects.

"When individual desk-based tasks can be done from home, workspaces become about teamwork and collaboration," he told Dezeen.

First floor workspaces in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — It features a range of different lounge and meeting spaces

Organised over four levels, 6 Babmaes Street features a mix of meeting rooms, workspaces and lounge areas, as well as areas that can be used for events or wellness activities.

Every floor is slightly different, responding to the specific uses of each space. However, the entire interior has a retro feel that references the decade when the building was constructed, the 1970s.

Ground floor reception at 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — The interiors have a retro 1970s feel

Warm colours are paired with tactile materials to create a more cosy aesthetic than the traditional office.

"We developed an aesthetic more aligned with home and hospitality environments than a conventional workspace, to encourage interaction between people," said Godfrey.

He continued: "6 Babmaes Street is for all the stuff that happens away from your computer screen, so it needed to promote conversation, comfort and relaxation."

Ground floor events space in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — The ground floor includes a space for events. Photo by Harry Godfrey/Fathom Architects

On the ground floor, a lobby space is embellished with turquoise and white terrazzo floor tiles and a curved wooden reception desk.

A fluted glass screen separates this area from the event space, which can be used for anything from yoga classes to exhibitions or talks.

The first floor features seating booths framed by sage-green upholstered benches, curved tables and high planters. This level also includes formal meeting rooms and phone booths.

A lounge space takes up most of the second floor, furnished with contemporary furniture and large rugs, along with a kitchen area that allows for communal dining.

First floor lounge in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — A lounge filled with rugs and vintage furniture occupies most of the second floor

There's also a roof level featuring a jungle-themed meeting room called The Potting Shed, and an outdoor seating deck featuring green walls and climbing plants.

Original artworks help to complement each of these levels. Highlights include a 1970s-inspired triptych by Sophie Coe and various murals by Rob Crabtree, including geometric shapes and a wildlife scene.

Other details that feature throughout the building include hessian ceiling panels, brass details and spherical lighting fixtures.

"We enjoyed interplaying the rough texture of the building's original concrete grid with finely crafted interior elements which referenced art and culture of the same period," stated Godfrey.

"Embracing playful, retro vibes and a material palette created a strong visual thread throughout."

Kitchen and dining table in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — The second floor also includes a room for communal dining

The project is the latest in a series of office spaces to explore the future of working culture following the pandemic, with other examples including the wellness-focused Paddington Works and Roche's workspace designed for flexibility.

Godfrey believes wellness and collaboration will become the most important features of offices going forward.

The Potting Shed in 6 Babmaes Street office for The Crown Estate by Fathom Architects — A jungle-themed meeting room features a mural by Rob Crabtree

"Companies need to address the collective mental and physical health of their staff, providing access to fresh air, outside space and wellbeing activities," he added.

"Office environments will need to cater for this shift with less desks and more space for shared activities."

Photography is by James Balston unless otherwise indicated.

Project credits:

Client: The Crown Estate
Architect: Fathom Architects
Interior design: Fathom Architects
Early interior concept: Avroko
Planning: Gerald Eve
Local authority: Westminster
Structure: Price & Myers
Services: Watkins Payne
Contractor: Built With
Project manager: TFT
Costs: TFT
Lighting: Lighting Design International
IT consultant: Cordless
Fire consultant: Jerry Gardner Associates
Acoustic consultant: Clarke Saunders

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BLUE Architecture Studio erects rocky columns inside Zolaism cafe in Aranya

Boulder-like columns surround white chairs and tables in Zolaism Café in Aranya designed by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

Structural columns disguised as huge, craggy boulders dominate the interior of this cafe designed by BLUE Architecture Studio in the Chinese seaside resort of Aranya.

The Zolaism cafe is situated in a coastal area in the city of Qinhuangdao known as the Aranya Gold Coast, just a few hours drive from Beijing.

Exterior of Zolaism Cafe with overhead spotlights illuminating concrete boulder-like columns — The Zolaism cafe features boulder-like columns

The coffee shop has a flat, white-painted roof and glass walls that run through and around its four boulder-like columns.

Fabricated from glass-reinforced concrete (GRC), the columns were introduced by BLUE Architecture Studio to make the cafe's interiors appear more like a natural landscape.

Cafe in Aranya by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio with white chairs and tables behind glass wall that ends in rock-like column — The cafe's glass walls run through and around the columns

"In the vast world, humans are a small and lonely entity," explained the Beijing-based practice.

"The tranquillity and vastness of nature helps people to escape from the rhythm of urban life and to return to their true selves."

Rather than relying on computer software to plan the form of the columns, the studio designed each one of them by hand.

Increasingly larger models, first made from foam and later from clay, helped the studio to decide how the columns would be shaped and arranged within the cafe.

Entrance of Zolaism Café with boathole window in the wall — Glass-reinforced concrete was used to fabricate the columns

Spades and various other tools were used to give the columns their roughly hewn surface finish.

"The whole construction process was full of unknowns and uncertainty," said the studio. "To a certain extent, we gave up the overall control of architectural form. Instead, we let our hands do the thinking and allowed the design to go with the flow."

Rock-like columns of cafe in Aranya designed by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio — Thick ledges at the bottom of the column provide customers with a place to sit

Once the shapes were finalised, the studio created moulds and filled them with GRC, which was chosen for the stark contrast it provides with the delicate glass walls.

On site, the column parts were assembled around steel support pillars.

Two of the four columns are hollow to accommodate more intimate seating areas that can be entered via arched doorways.

Inside, they are sparsely furnished with benches and paper lanterns while small portholes offer views out to the cafe and the street beyond.

White table and chairs in Zolaism Café next to glass wall and surrounded by boulder-like columns — The cafe also has a handful of simple white chairs and tables

Extra chairs and simple white dining tables have been dotted throughout the rest of the Zolaism cafe in a bid to give the floor plan a sense of fluidity.

Customers also have the option to sit on the thick ledges that are carved from the base of the columns or on the rugged low-lying GRC blocks that form benches on the cafe's outdoor terrace.

Running the length of the cafe's rear wall is a service counter, painted grey to match the tonality of the columns and floors.

Seating nook inside boulder-like concrete column designed by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio — Some of the columns are hollow to accommodate intimate eating areas

BLUE Architecture Studio was set up by architects Yoko Fujii and Shuhei Aoyama in 2014.

Elsewhere in Aranya, the studio recently completed the 1402 Coffee Shop, which consists of a rectangular volume inserted into an existing brick building.

The photography is by Eiichi Kano.

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Retractable screens shelter seafront apartment block in Australia by Koichi Takada Architects

Undulating balconies with slatted wooden screens

Australian firm Koichi Takada Architects has completed a mixed-use apartment block on Queensland's Gold Coast featuring retractable slatted wooden screens and thin balconies that reference the form of a pinecone.

Located on Goodwin Terrace, a strip of coastline at the southern end of Burleigh Heads Beach, the 1,012-square-metre seafront site has been developed for property developer FORME.

Slatted wooden screens on apartment block — Above: the block has undulating balconies. Top image: it sits on Burleigh Heads Beach. Photo is by Paul Bamford

The heritage-listed Norfolk pine trees surrounding its site gave the project its name, Norfolk, as well as informing the design approach taken by Surrey Hills-based Koichi Takada Architects.

Across 10 storeys, Norfolk houses 15 apartments, two penthouses with rooftop pools and a ground floor of wellbeing spaces including a gym, pool and sauna.

Apartment block by Koichi Takada Architects — The building's shape was informed by pinecones. Photo is by Cieran Murphy

"Norfolk's sculptural facade references the inner workings of the Norfolk pines, a natural icon in the Gold Coast region," explained the practice.

"Just like their pinecones protect its seeds from bad weather and open when in ideal natural settings, Norfolk's architecture can be adapted to protect residents from the elements or opened up to take in the 300 days of subtropical sunshine and stunning natural surroundings."

The concept of "protection" is expressed both by the building's curved balconies, which overlap one another to provide areas of shade below, and in a series of sliding slatted wooden screens that can be moved into position for privacy or sun shading.

The apartments occupy the full length of the building to benefit from dual-aspect views and ventilation, and are split into living and bedroom spaces at either side of a small landing that connects to the lift and stair core.

Facing north, a large open plan living, dining and kitchen area opens onto a balcony for panoramic sea views, light and air, which can be controlled using the retractable wooden screens.

At the southern end of the building are the bedroom spaces, with a main en-suite bedroom at the far end and two smaller rooms at the centre.

Exterior view of building with curved balconies — The flats feature timber floors that extend out to the balconies

The internal finishes are informed by the "hues and textures of the sand, water, trees and sky", with timber floors that extend out onto the balconies, furniture finished in wood and stone and pale white curtains.

"The design interacts with nature and is very much about creating breathing space for an incomparable beachfront living experience," said practice founder Koichi Takada.

Interior of Norfolk apartment block — Wooden furniture was used for the interior

The penthouses at the top of the building include their own rooftop terraces and have a pool and dining spaces wrapped by landscaped gardens at their edges.

Koichi Takada Architects recently unveiled plans for Urban Forest, a 30-storey mixed-use block in Brisbane covered in thousands of plants and trees, which is due to complete in 2024.

The photography is by Scott Burrows unless stated otherwise.

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Dezeen's top 10 hotels of 2021

With the year drawing to a close, some of us are already thinking about where to holiday in 2022. As part of our review of 2021, Dezeen rounds up 10 unusual and impressive new hotels, including Pharrell Williams' Goodtime Hotel in Miami, a 17th-century monastery conversion and clifftop villas on the Jurassic Coast.

Image of Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou hotel by Studio Avoid — Photo is by Guo Zhe

Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou, China, by Studio Avoid

Located in the village of Xiyaotou in the Zhangjiakou prefecture, Studio Avoid designed Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou to reference a collection of traditional cave dwellings in the area.

The cave-like pods take shape as a number of interconnected, brick-clad, vertical volumes each 0f which is topped with large skylights. A winding wooden walkway on stilts weaves between the pods connecting to entrances on the first-floor level.

Find out more about Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou ›

Image of Casona Sforza hotel by Alberto Kalach — Photo is by Alex Krotkov

Casona Sforza, Mexico, by Alberto Kalach

Alberto Kalach designed this hotel in the coastal town of Puerto Escondido, Mexico with a series of vaulted, brick arches overlooking a large circular swimming pool.

The hotel, which is named Casona Sforza, consists of arched volumes of varying heights arranged asymmetrically. Its design aims to integrate with the landscape and offer guests restful spaces for reflection.

Find out more about Casona Sforza ›

Monastero Arx Vivendi hotel by Network of Architecture — Photo is by Alex Filz

Monastero Arx Vivendi, Italy, by Network of Architecture

Network of Architecture transformed a former Italian monastery into the Monastero Arx Vivendi hotel by preserving and updating the interiors.

Located in Arco, near Lake Garda, the 17th-century complex was renovated with a number of common rooms, 40 guest suites and a purpose-built wellness area. The designers sought to conserve and retain as many of the original features as possible, including a seven-metre-tall perimeter wall.

Find out more about Monastero Arx Vivendi ›

Pool of the Goodtime Hotel by Ken Fulk for Pharrell Williams and David Grutman — Photo is by Alice Gao

Goodtime Hotel, US, by Ken Fulk and Morris Adjmi

With architecture by Morris Adjmi and interiors by American designer Ken Fulk, music producer Pharrell Williams' Goodtime Hotel in Miami boasts a playful, clashing scheme that aims to reflect the area's famed art deco buildings.

The hotel comprises 266 rooms plus 100,000 square feet of public space including restaurant and pool club Strawberry Moon as well as shops, a gym and a bar, all decorated with pastel hues and bold prints.

Find out more about Goodtime Hotel ›

The Seeds hotel by ZJJZ Atelier — Photo is by Tian Fangfang

The Seeds, China, by ZJJZ Atelier

Ellipsoidal shingle-covered pods nestled in a woodland area in Jiangxi, China form part of The Seeds hotel by Tree Wow hoteliers.

ZJJZ Atelier referenced nature in its design, using natural forms that would compliment the scenic surroundings. Pine shingles line the exterior of the pods around circular windows, while the underside of the pods was clad in shiny aluminium tiles.

Find out more about The Seeds ›

Paradero Hotel by Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo — Photo is by Paradero Todos Santos

Paradero Hotel, Mexico, by Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo

Set on a 5.5-acre (2.2-hectare) plot in Todos Santos, a coastal town in southwest Mexico, Paradero Hotel was designed by architects Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo. The complex was arranged around a low-water garden taking cues from historic California missions.

It is comprised of a series of beige-hued concrete structures intended to blend in with the landscape. Each volume contains guest rooms with sweeping walls, stairwells and corridors, while the interiors were overseen by Guadalajara studio B Huber.

Find out more about Paradero Hotel ›

The Clifftops Hotel by Morrow + Lorraine — Photo is by Jim Stephenson

The Clifftops, England, by Morrow + Lorraine

The Clifftops is a collection of five seaside holiday homes in Dorset, England that were designed by London-based studio Morrow + Lorraine.

The development, which is located on the Jurassic Coast, was set within large, exposed walls that mimic the rocky clifftop terrain. Each lodge has a stone and wood interior with views out to the English Channel.

Find out more about The Clifftops ›

Casa Octavia hotel by PPAA — Photography is by Luis Garvan, Luis Young and Maureen Evans

Casa Octavia, Mexico, by PPAA

Mexican practice PPAA designed Casa Octavia, a boutique hotel in Mexico City based around fashion label Octavia, with the interiors imagined as an extension of the brand's clothes.

PPAA covered the facade of the hotel in a wooden lattice that shades the interior and creates a delicate pattern of light. Soft and neutral tones were used across the interior offering guests a serene environment in which to relax.

Find out more about Casa Octavia ›

Swimming pool view of Villa 19 of Palmares Ocean Living & Golf resort by RCR Architectes — Photo is courtesy of RCR Arquitectes

Signature Villas, Portugal, by RCR Arquitectes

Californian studio RCR Arquitectes designed eight luxury, red concrete villas for the Palmares Ocean Living & Golf resort in the Algarve, Portugal.

Designed as part of a wider luxury development, the villas take the form of overlapping volumes with overhanging roofs and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Find out more about Signature Villas ›

El Perdido Hotel by Estudio ALA — Photo is by Iwan Baan

El Perdido Hotel, Mexico, by Estudio ALA

Located outside a small agricultural town named El Pescadero, this hotel was designed by Mexican architectural studio Estudio ALA. It has rammed earth walls and timber-hewn roofs covered in thatch, showcasing traditional construction techniques while also referencing the surrounding vegetable farmlands.

Suites are housed within individual structures that are organised across the site around communal areas containing the hotel's lobby and restaurant.

Find out more about El Perdido Hotel ›

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i29 creates colour-block interiors for Amsterdam dental clinic

Dentista clinic in Amsterdam with white and khaki-green colour-block interiors

Fresh white treatment rooms are contrasted with khaki-green communal areas inside the Dentista dental clinic in Amsterdam, which has been designed by local studio i29.

As the clinic is Dentista's first, i29 was tasked with creating an interior scheme and visual identity that could be easily rolled out to future locations.

"Our design strategy was to bring together a clean, fresh medical environment and a wellness experience," the studio explained.

"Natural wood, abundant greenery and an open-plan layout make visitors feel at ease."

Patients waiting inside Amsterdam dentist by i29 with white and khaki-green colour-block walls — A strip of greenery runs along the clinic's front windows

Upon entering the clinic with its timber-clad facade, patients find themselves in a waiting area that houses a few chairs and a tall wooden box seat.

While the majority of the room is rendered in white, the immediate area around the help desk is finished completely in khaki green, from the furniture to the ceiling, walls and floors.

White hallway in Dentista clinic leading to khaki-green receiption — Glass partition walls with semi-opaque stripes surround the treatment rooms

A strip of flooring that runs alongside the clinic's front windows has also been painted green and decorated with an array of tall, leafy plants in khaki-coloured pots that help obscure the interior from passersby.

A white corridor leads to the rear of the clinic, where eight treatment rooms encircle a planted open-air courtyard.

Each room is fronted by timber-framed glass panels with semi-opaque stripes that help to maintain patients' privacy while letting in light.

Apart from a khaki-green feature wall, the treatment areas have been painted completely white, which i29 says "intuitively refers to medical professionalism".

Dentist with patient in clean white treatment room by i29 — Green statement walls offset the clinical white interiors

Colour reappears in the staff breakout area in the form of a khaki-green kitchenette and a cushioned bench seat that backs onto a matching wall.

In the evening, when less natural light filters through from the courtyard, the entire clinic is illuminated by a series of ring-shaped pendant lights.

Staff breakout area of Dentista clinic with freen walls and wooden tables and chairs — Green walls also appear in the staff breakout area

i29 is based in the Dutch municipality of Ouder-Amstel and is led by Jeroen Dellensen and Jaspar Jansen.

The studio has completed a few other projects in Amsterdam this year, including an angular house that floats on a canal and an apartment for an avid art collector.

The photography is by Thomas van Schaik.

Project credits:

Client: Dentista Amsterdam
Design: i29
Contractor: UMB group
Interior builder: Cornelissen Interieurs
Equipment: Henry Schein
Lighting: Delta light
Glass walls: Plan Effect
Flooring: Duracryll
Plants: Hydrozorg
Furniture: Lensvelt

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