A London workspace built around the warmth of the ‘hearth’ – not just for the reasons you’d think
Elsley House by SODA is a London workspace that nods to modern needs and desires, while echoing its historic location's identity
An art deco envelope has been transformed into a minimalist London workspace, courtesy of architecture practice SODA (Studio of Design & Architecture). The scheme, titled Elsley House and located in a 1920s building on Great Titchfield Street in London's West End, was designed not only to create a functional, 21st-century office for the client, Great Portland Estates (GPE), but also to produce an interior that exudes the warmth of the 'family hearth', the architects explain.
Explore Elsley House, a new London workspace by SODA
This idea of introducing the 'hearth' as the conceptual core of the design is not arbitrary – nor simply adhering to modern trends that bring a sense of hospitality into the London workspace. The building is named after Thomas Elsley, a local metalwork fabricator from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His craftsmanship and tiles often adorn fireplaces – inspiring the building's connection to the 'hearth'.
Today's equivalent, here, becomes the office tea point, which SODA places at the centre of its design. Around it, an elegant, solid-surface kitchen and communal seating arranged around blue-stained timber tables form the space's social heart. Soft bolster cushions juxtaposed with hard-edged frames complete the composition.
This London workspace is, as a result of this approach, conceived as a contemporary, pared-down interior featuring calming colours and a natural material palette. Crittall banding is matched by bespoke furnishings and details, from storage and shelving to rugs – making working here a thoroughly tailored experience.
'Everything was centred around the notion of the hearth, a primaeval concept predating building, where people gathered for warmth and protection and where storytelling and conversation evolved. Thomas Elsley provided the historical grounding for us; his understanding of a room and the need for a focal point to draw people in. Working with GPE, we had a real opportunity to translate these ideas into a contemporary workplace and to do it in a way that is rooted in the history of this building and the wider context of the area,' says Evelyn Sung, architect at SODA.
A basement gym, complete with a yoga room wrapped in a warm Maharam curtain in orangey-peach colour, and an outdoor courtyard featuring patterned tiles, soft furnishings and lots of planting, ensure wellness is also central in this modern office project – with the art deco geometry of the building's façade echoed in the patterns across surfaces throughout.
