Church conversion into creative studio

Project: Addison Studios
Award: Bronze, Workspace Interiors, Studios, Co-working Spaces & Home Offices, 2024
Location: London, United Kingdom
Design Practice: TiggColl
Client: TiggColl

TiggColl’s considered restoration of an old church mission hall to create a bright and creative architects’ studio harmonizes an array of materials, textures, and finishes to complement the materials already on site. 
Concrete blockwork, quarry and terrazzo tiles, and a bespoke brick terrazzo countertop contribute to the tactile richness of the space.

The judges praised the project's use of colour and materiality and its celebration of exsiting period details.

"This project has a consistent design concept and makes efficient use of space with consideration for sustainability considered from the get go," they said.

The glulam beams display the beautiful layering of laminated timber which is echoed by the veneered plywood in the various pieces of furniture. Oak timber tones in the floor finish have been used to bring warmth and softness to the design, contrasting the stone and masonry used. Exposed services have an honest steel finish, and the strict layout these follow reinforces the structural grid around the building. 

Structure is playfully coloured to bring a vibrancy, openly showing where additions to the existing fabric are made. Thoughtfully placed furniture delineates access and defines spaces, with a generous material library serving as both a functional divider and a source of inspiration. Medium-sized tables inhabit formal meeting rooms, while casual stools and large tables invite collaboration.

A durable recycled plastic floor cover on the mezzanine ensures practicality without compromising aesthetics and provides a soft studio atmosphere. Large windows and dormers flood the space with light while lighting ceiling tracks can be adjusted and added to as necessary to accommodate the functions happening below. 

Design highlights

A flexible and expandable work environment was a key requirement of the brief. A largely uninterrupted ground floor is selectively subdivided by two permanent features – a corkboard pinup and presentation wall, and a large kitchen island. This defines five spaces of varying privacy, size and functionality. They allow a range of activities, from large presentations, social gathering spaces and meeting rooms, to private work areas for phone calls or quiet work. Should it be necessary, desk-space can expand into this space, offering the studio longevity for its aspiring practice.

The mezzanine separates the day-to-day workspace from the ground floor, adding yet another workspace typology. These elements all encourage communal working, social interaction and variety to the work environment, ssential for maintaining an engaged and creative workforce. 

Photo credit:  Photos by James Retief and Peter Landers