A City of London merchant bank required a reception, breakout spaces and meeting rooms that would reflect the firm’s unique positioning in their market. This project was a fully bespoke exercise that centered around a faceted bronze reception desk, located in front of the lifts. The diagonal floor and ceiling plan bled naturally from this form, creating distinct areas for guests to wait and obvious circulation routes for staff to enter different meeting rooms and break out spaces. Arrangement of materials such as two tone rubber flooring, polished plaster walls, walnut and sprayed joinery and bronze and brass details contributed to a playful feeling albeit in a serious environment. This probably summed our client up – whilst they are heavy weight financiers, they are looking to invest and help edgy fledgling businesses.

So suggesting a seat separator cum coffee table in the form of a brass and bronze throw or a heavily cantilevered slatted bench that picked up on the break out space vertical fins or a weighted anglepoise light over the bronze desk – these were all welcomed!

We recommend a photographer, Chloe Dewe Mathews, who was commissioned to make a series of photographs that studied the physiological effect of risk taking. She chose freediving and shot a remarkable series that hangs in the meeting rooms.

In discussing the nature of their business whilst taking and building a brief, we learnt a great deal and believe it was this knowledge that helped us present an interesting expression of their firm. Do watch a video about The Making of a Desk here