A repurposed church hall makes for the perfect home for The Modern House
Most of us might be familiar with The Modern House’s work, as the speciality estate agent that looks after some of the world’s best designer homes; but where does a business that deals exclusively with great design call home? Enter London architects TDO who have just completed the company’s brand new headquarters in the capital’s borough of Southwark.
Set on the ground floor of a former church hall, St Alphege Hall, the new space sits within a mid-rise brick building that dates from 1931. The office, spanning 231 sq m, offers ample space to accommodate The Modern House’s growing staff – they are up to 20-strong at the moment. The property now also allows for flexible use and the company’s developing cultural programme.
The interior is refined and contemporary, yet still holds a sense of place and history, subtly referring to a past life through specific features and its overall atypical – for office use – setting.
At the heart of the design lies a strong, yet fairly simple concept. The main workspace’s bespoke demountable desk structure can be adjusted in ‘a sequence of simple moves to completely change the interior’, explain the architects. This essentially means that the desk can be configured in different ways, or can be folded up entirely and hung from the walls, mimicking wood panelling.
Mixing this ingenious piece of product design – created especially by TDO – with select art pieces and furniture such as a meeting table by Max Lamb and a dining table by Faye Toogood, The Modern House’s workspace is a light-touch, yet carefully planned and completely tailor made renovation that makes a reimagined space masterfully fit for its new purpose.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of TDO and the website of The Modern House
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
A new village chapel in the Czech Republic is rich in material and visual symbolism
Studio RCNKSK has completed a new chapel - the decade-long project of Our Lady of Sorrows in Nesvačilka, South Moravia
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Explore Cornwall's cosiest coffee shops
Cornwall is known for its natural beauty and stunning landscape, here is our pick of coffee shops to enjoy the views and refuel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
The Museum of Shakespeare set to open in east London
The Museum of Shakespeare puts the remains of the ancient Curtain Playhouse at the centre of 'The Stage', a new urban development in the heart of Shoreditch
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Paddington Square transforms its patch of central London with its 'elevated cube'
Paddington Square by Renzo Piano Building Workshop has been completed, elevating a busy London site through sustainability, modern workspace and a plaza
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architectural car parks to drive into, in the UK and beyond
Architectural car parks form an important part of urban infrastructure but can provide a design statement too; here are some of the finest examples to peruse, in the UK and beyond
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architectural Association's newest show uncovers the architectural legacies of rural China's lost generation
The Architectural Association’s ‘Ripple Ripple Rippling’ is not your typical architecture show, taking an anthropological look at the flux between rural and urban, and bringing a part of China to Bedford Square in London
By Teshome Douglas-Campbell Published
-
Into the groove: Henriksen House is the UK’s first home extension featuring exposed clay block walls
Architect Michael Henriksen uses textured clay blocks, cork flooring and self-built joinery to transform his family home in St Albans near London
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
This unassuming London house is a radical rethinking of the suburban home
Station Lodge by architect Andrei Saltykov in South West London offers a radical subversion to regional residential architecture
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Join our tour of London Zoo, its modernist architecture and more
London Zoo is a well-established magnet for younger visitors, but there's plenty for the architecture enthusiast to admire too; our tour explores its modernist treasures for guests of all ages
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Load into this reimagined Fortnite cityscape, courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
A collaboration between Epic Games and ZHA, Re:Imagine London brings the architects’ modular forms into one of the world’s most popular multiplayer games
By Jonathan Bell Published