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The brief for this project was to address the use of three existing offices within a historic building. These had been joined by a mezzanine which had been added and extended over time. There was a need for a rational approach to the organization of the space, in order to create an efficient and pleasant working environment. The functional requirements set by the client were to create three closed offices for senior lawyers, a comfortable open plan working space for junior lawyers together with secretaries, and an archive space in the smaller of the three rooms.

From the outset the approach was to maintain a reference to the three historic rooms, while creating a contemporary intervention through the use of the mezzanine. The creation of the double height space maintains the reference to the historic proportions of the rooms while allowing for natural light to enter the offices from three sides. The distinction between the old and the new was also expressed in the design of the furniture. The darker furniture has a more conventional scale to it, bearing in mind that it relates to the older proportions of the space, while the lighter fitted furniture was stretched to fit the new proportions of the mezzanine.

Award
Din l-Art Helwa Prize for Architectural Heritage, Cat. A, Prix d'Honneur (2014)

Photography
Luis Rodriguez Lopez