Once earmarked for demolition, 66 South Lambeth Road has been reimagined as a light-filled workplace through a careful programme of retrofit. Working with the existing building, the project focused on bringing more life, warmth and character to everyday working environments while retaining the building's embodied carbon.

The atrium forms the heart of the design. Previously obscured by coloured vinyl, it has been reopened to the street and sky, allowing daylight to flood deep into the building. Timber, cork and bespoke seating create places to pause, meet and work informally, while Lattice, a site-specific woven textile by Hannah Robson, responds to the changing patterns of light and shadow cast by nearby trees and balconies.

The same attention has been given to spaces often overlooked in commercial buildings, from accessible toilets and changing facilities to the landscape at the building's entrance. Throughout, small but carefully considered interventions demonstrate how retrofit can improve everyday experience without starting again.

Team: Madeleine Kessler, Rosie Hervey, Phot Tongsuthi
Textile Artwork: Hannah Robson
Contractor: Demarc Solutions