Drake’s gets a new HQ in London by Hawkins Brown

The new home of British menswear accessories manufacturer Drake's brings together its design, manufacturing and distribution arms under one roof, a former 1930s factory on the corner of the aptly titled Haberdasher Street in Hackney, east London. The scheme exposed as much of the existing structure as possible, explains project architect Nicola Rutt, a partner at London-based practice Hawkins Brown. 'We wanted to maximise the internal space and daylight and celebrate the light industrial nature of the building.'
Many of the building's original features, such as the porthole windows, the cantilevered concrete canopies, the clock and the cage for the lift have been retained or reintroduced. 'The curved brick facade is the building's strongest feature so we were keen to reinstate curved windows to every floor,' says Rutt. The architects took their client to the Crittall factory in Essex, where windows have been handmade for years using traditional processes. 'It was particularly important to Drake's that the architecture and interiors reflect their commitment to craftsmanship.'
At ground level the building contains a factory, an administration area, a meeting room and a warehouse for packing and distribution, while the first floor is occupied by the design studio and workroom where the company's ties are manufactured and undergo 18 separate quality checks. The scheme also incorporates speculative workspace and new warehouse-style apartments for rent on the upper floors and, in an interesting reinstatement of the British tradition of living above the shop, Drake's directors, Mark Cho and Michael Hill, have taken up residency of two of the nine apartments.
Here again the architects took their cues from the best that the classic 1930s structure had to offer. The herringbone pattern of the original external brickwork (and, coincidentally, the weave of many of the fabrics Drake's uses) is echoed in the detailing of the residential oak parquet floors and terrace decking. It's yet another fitting and inspired touch in a quintessentially British design project.
The brand's new HQ sits on the corner of the aptly titled Haberdasher Street in Hackney, east London
The scheme exposed as much of the existing structure as possible
The architects aimed to maximise space and keep the building's industrial character
At ground level the building contains a factory, an administration area, a meeting room and a warehouse for packing and distribution
A simple metal staircase connects internally the ground floor with the facility's second level
The first floor is occupied by the design studio and workroom where the company's ties are manufactured and undergo quality checks
A separate room is used as a showroom for meetings with clients
The scheme also incorporates speculative workspace and new warehouse-style apartments for rent on the upper floors
'The curved brick facade is the building's strongest feature', say the architects, who were keen to reinstate curved windows to every floor
Opting for Crittall windows, the architects took their client to the company's factory in Essex, where windows have been handmade for years using traditional processes
Drake's directors, Mark Cho and Michael Hill, have taken up residency of two of the nine apartments
The herringbone pattern of the original external brickwork is echoed in the herringbone detailing of the residential oak parquet floors and terrace decking
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Giovanna Dunmall is a freelance journalist based in London and West Wales who writes about architecture, culture, travel and design for international publications including The National, Wallpaper*, Azure, Detail, Damn, Conde Nast Traveller, AD India, Interior Design, Design Anthology and others. She also does editing, translation and copy writing work for architecture practices, design brands and cultural organisations.
-
Oscar Niemeyer: a guide to the Brazilian modernist, from big hits to lesser-known gems
Architecture master Oscar Niemeyer defined 20th-century architecture and is synonymous with Brazilian modernism; our ultimate guide explores his work, from lesser-known schemes to his big hits; and we revisit a check-in with the man himself
-
French skincare brand PERS doesn’t believe in overcomplicated routines
French skincare brand PERS – an acronym for ‘protect, enhance, repair, and stimulate’ – has recently arrived in the UK. The mastermind behind it, Dr Anthony Calmon, tells Wallpaper* about his protocol
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’
In Sydney’s Paddington, pioneering chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
V&A East Storehouse is a new London museum, but not as you know it
Designed by DS+R, the V&A East Storehouse immerses visitors in history as objects of all scales mesmerise, seemingly ‘floating’ in all directions
-
Timeless yet daring, this Marylebone penthouse 'floats' on top of a grand London building
A Marylebone penthouse near Regent’s Park by design studio Wendover is transformed into a light-filled family home
-
Revamped National Gallery Sainsbury Wing unveiled: Annabelle Selldorf gives us a tour
The National Gallery Sainsbury Wing redesign by Selldorf Architects is ready to open its doors to the public in London; we took the tour
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors
‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
A new London house delights in robust brutalist detailing and diffused light
London's House in a Walled Garden by Henley Halebrown was designed to dovetail in its historic context
-
A Sussex beach house boldly reimagines its seaside typology
A bold and uncompromising Sussex beach house reconfigures the vernacular to maximise coastal views but maintain privacy
-
This 19th-century Hampstead house has a raw concrete staircase at its heart
This Hampstead house, designed by Pinzauer and titled Maresfield Gardens, is a London home blending new design and traditional details
-
An octogenarian’s north London home is bold with utilitarian authenticity
Woodbury residence is a north London home by Of Architecture, inspired by 20th-century design and rooted in functionality