KCS

Situated on Kensington Church Street, this 1950’s office building was in need of a fresh lease of life. We were appointed by the Rumi Foundation to design 7000 sq ft of high quality, well designed, energy efficient executive offices, maintaining the character of the original 1950’s building. The Rumi Foundation’s ethos is embedded in valuing creative thinking and helping create a better society and environments. The building’s energy performance was improved significantly through upgrading the existing fabric up to A+ energy rating reducing operational carbon. The new glazing system replaced the tired Crittall windows, upgrading the thermal performance of the building envelope, in addition to thermal insulation to walls, floors and ceilings.

The office interiors were transformed using a contemporary language and allowed accessible use. Its remodelled interiors offer spacious work areas, breakout spaces, and meeting rooms. The bespoke blackened timber entrance door leads to a terrazzo and teak entrance hall, with a crisp concrete bench forming a base to the refurbished terrazzo stair. Within the offices, linear diagonal luminaires form a dramatic composition against a black mesh gridded ceiling, in stark contrast to an otherwise natural palette. Buster and Punch matt black and stainless-steel freestanding kitchens are clean cut and clinical hovering over an oak floor. Mechanical services are discreetly concealed behind the perforated black metal ceiling, interspersed with a diagonal track lighting. Nordic furniture brands, Eikund, Dk3 were selected for their high quality and sustainability, to compliment the tension between the strong black and soft natural palette. The first floor opens to an inviting outdoor terrace, enhancing well-being within the contemporary work environment whilst bringing calming effect of the ''oasis in the city''.