2 minute read
Case Study 1:Douglas House
from KOTA
Case Study 1
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Designer + Context Concept Key Takeaways
Designed by Note Design Studio and TOG (The Office Group). They collaborated to reinvent the Douglas House. Douglas House is a six-floor 4,400 sqm office building on London’s Great Titchfield Street. Built in the 1930s , the space was already being used as an office but lacked character. The building’s post-war architecture was a challenge to work with creatively for both teams. They therefore aimed to design a space with a strong visual and environmental identity which would stand out against its dramatic neighbours in Fitzrovia. Their ideas were based on the concept of
“The connection between our environments, our emotions and our productivity” The concept was to create an element of surprise at every turn, to engage the brain and thus stimulate people through the environment in order to increase productivity and creativity. Note refers to this a a ‘gentle punch’ (Yellowtrace, 2021). The curvilinear glass wall which runs the length of the ground floor creates light, transparency and openess as well as connects the spaces in materiality and form.
“This was a way for us to be disruptive and to challenge the standards of an average refurbishment – to create a space within a space, a world of its own within the old building,”
- Johannes Carlström, (Yellowtrace, 2021) The natural finish material palette with ash stains, walnut and terrazzo works well with the colour palette of warm woods and neutral desert shades mixed with a pops of blue and red. Softer blues are used in areas of concentration and focus. The circlular organic line motif is carried throughout. The multifunctional open plan presenation room creates aopen inviting space. Note and TOG retained many of the existing materials and used products which could be reused such as steel, glass and ceramic. More ESD initiatives include 100% recyclable Tarkett IQ range of wall and floor coverings, solar panels and a green biodiverse roof. Bearing in mind the wellbeing of employees, they also included a ‘recharge room; and plant filled ‘oxygen room’ to allow individuals to take a break and connect with nature.
- (Yellowtrace, 2021)
