The Stock House London Office By Orms Architects

The Stock House by Orms Architects. Images: Copyright © Alex Upton

Proceeding on from my previous blog entry, with the chasm in between filled by 382 rising and retreating motions of the sun, those disposed to pick up on such details - most notably Google’s search algorithms, which have undoubtedly interpreted my dormant blog as a measure of irrelevance and relegated me to the basement of search results for architectural photographers - might be led to deduce an extended period of inertia on my part. But for any of those visitors venturing beyond this blog you may have noticed the incremental addition of new photographs to my portfolio of projects. So, to dispel any of these notions and to once again court favour with those omnipotent search algorithms I will endeavour to follow up some of these projects with brief write ups on my blog, starting with my photography of Orms architects Britton Street office development.

Architectural photography of the 17-18 Britton Street office development, more recently named The Stock House, was commissioned by London based architectural practice Orms, for whom I had previously captured images of their 3 Broadgate project. The Stock House is a small 5-storey office development located in the Clerkenwell conservation area of Farringdon, London. The photography predominately focuses on the interior spaces with one of the key features being the elegant, curved white balustrade which greets anyone visiting via the main entrance. Throughout attention to details and materials are evident with teal coloured walls and gold trimming adding a sense of refinement to the space.

A brief history of the office and it’s location can be found on the developers website:

“Laid out and built up between 1718 and 1724, Britton Street was originally called Red Lion Street after the Tavern of the same name on the street. Built in 1914–16, No. 18 and 19 are believed to have been a five-storey warehouse o factory of yellow brick. In a nod to this -the building is named after the original yellow London stock brick.”

Moving on from this It’s latest refurbishment by Orms architects was carried out on what was essentially a 1980’s office building. The entire façade was replaced and reconstructed using handmade clay bricks from the Petersen brickworks in Denmark. Internally on the main office floor plates exposed steel and concrete soffits and columns still hint at the buildings industrial past.

For a wider selection of images from my architectural photography of The Stock House please visit the projects section of my portfolio. Now with the completion of this latest photography update I will endeavour not to let such an expanse of time pass before the next one, as I have a number of exciting projects to share with you.

City of London Office Interiors by ID:SR

100 Bishopsgate, Interior office design by ID:SR. Images: Copyright © Alex Upton

In the early autumn of 2020, when normality, accompanied by a faithful companion complacency, appeared to have tentatively returned to our daily lives. A time when workers were finally jettisoning their ‘work from home’ attire - lower-body: pyjamas, upper-body: vaguely presentable shirt - and relinquishing the prospect of conducting any further business meetings through a pixelated portal from the comfort of their beds, I was commissioned by Sheppard Robson architects to photograph the new office spaces their interior design team, ID:SR, had created for a prestigious international client. The offices were located across several floors of the recently completed 100 Bishopsgate tower in the City of London financial district, where the workers were set to return.

The tower itself, a mixed use development rising over 172 meters, with 40-storeys of office space, was designed by Allies and Morrison architects. With each occupant having different requirements for their work spaces, the interior design work was to be taken up by a design team chosen at the tenants discretion. As regular visitors to my blog will know - or visitor - I have worked with Sheppard Robson on a number of architectural photography projects. With previous commercial commissions, such as the offices at One Creechurch Place, the individual floors plates are usually austere shells awaiting the clients before they are fitted out, so in this case it was nice to be able to focus my camera on the interior design work and not solely the structural details.

Before elaborating any further on the particulars of the building and extolling the qualities of the interior design, I feel obligated to draw your attention to one, not so inconspicuous fact. It might soon, if not already, have come to the perceptive viewers attention, that several of the people in the photographs reappear throughout the various settings. This was neither a coincidence nor the result of several office workers clamouring for stardom before the lens by following me from one location to the next. No, this was the result of an entirely different set of circumstances, ones which necessitate the artifice behind much architectural photography. While I favour capturing a space in an uncontrived as possible manner sometimes it is just not practical to do so.

The office was still several days from being fully occupied and with interior photography it is often optimal to begin the work before such an occasion occurs, for in a matter of minuets a neat and orderly office can descend into a cacophony of hurried bodies and out of place furniture. Once clear shelves become a cascade of spilled pages, desktops submerge beneath mounds of spreadsheets, all precariously crowned with a slightly broken, but faithful office mug. So in some cases it is therefore preferable to enlist the help of models - in this case several of the interior architects whom worked on the project.

The first significant change ID:SR made to the original floor plates was the installation of staircases connecting the company offices at each level, saving employees from having to make repeated trips in the lift. Personal offices with glazed fronts surround the perimeter of the space, each with amazing views looking out onto the emerging cluster of skyscrapers. Moving inward towards the buildings core are a variety of private consultation rooms, collaborative work spaces and meeting rooms. Amongst these are kitchen and dining areas and less-specified seating areas where work or relaxation can take place individually or collaboratively. Notable is how the architects have made each space feel both distinct but also part of a cohesive whole and the variety of work spaces offer flexibility of use eschewing the conformity of old.

Colours, materials and furniture vary throughout, but each distinct area of use often replicates similar design features distinguishing their intended purpose, even if size and layout differ slightly. Having spent a considerable amount of time exploring the building and photographing each space I came to the conclusion that I could happily take up residence in one of the private offices overlooking the City, whether I could get much work done while gazing out upon the urban vista is another matter entirely. With the current situation still ongoing it sadly may be some time before these sophisticated, well designed offices are fully occupied. So for now they remain a fragment of hope in the minds of workers relegated to their kitchen table desks and daily zoom briefings. For readers wishing to see the complete set of interior photographs of 100 Bishopsgate, they can be found in the projects section of my portfolio.

St George's College Activity Centre by Scott Brownrigg

St George’s College Weybridge Sports Centre by Scott Brownrigg Architects. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Just before the decade drew to an close I was commissioned to photograph the interior of a new activity centre at St George's College in Weybridge. If memories of my own schools sports hall were anything to go by, this wasn’t going to be a project to get too excited about. Upon arrival it became apparent that the school I had attended and this were leagues apart in what facilities they had to offer. This new high-tech, 6-court, 4,000m² sports hall designed by UK based architectural practice Scott Brownrigg would be befitting of an Olympic athletes training centre not just young aspiring athletes.

Innovative under floor LED system allows for quick transition between different sports activities.

The exposed timber roof structure sweeps above the main sports hall which accommodates a variety of games due to its innovative underfloor LED lighting system. With the flick of a switch the markings on the floor can transition from a basketball court to football pitch, doing away with the need for a confusion of overlapping multicoloured delineators. Allowing some natural light to permeate the building are my clients Kalwall panels which sit just below the roof on three elevations of the hall. It was these architectural features that i was onsite to photograph. For further examples of how this product is utilised architecturally see my photography of Dale Youth Boxing Club and BH2 Bournemouth both for the same client.

Interior photography of St George's College multi-purpose sports hall.

Wooden timber panels constitute the primary material used throughout the interior space, with one elevation featuring a diagonal glass spacer which creates a viewing gallery for those pausing on the journey up the stairs to the buildings upper level. The sports hall was in use at the time of undertaking the internal photography which made taking some of the shots a challenge as i had to compose the image whilst simultaneously protecting my camera equipment from the odd stray basketball.

Scott Brownrigg architects have created a wonderful high-tech sports hall which should be an inspiration for all educational institutes with the available budgets. It provides an inspiring environment in which to engage with a range of sports, with ample capacity to accommodate both pupils and spectators. The use of natural materials and lighting are employed in a manner that give the building a bright spacious feel with the undulating timber roof being the architectural focal point.

The London Design Museum by John Pawson, OMA + Allies and Morrison

London Design Museum Interior by Architect John Pawson. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

In late 2016 the London Design Museum opened the doors to it’s new premises in Kensington, located just on the periphery of the then autumnal setting of Holland Park. Having outgrown their previous home on the riverside in Shad Thames - now occupied by Zaha Hadid’s architectural practice - they museum opted for the grade II listed former Commonwealth Institute building to become their new home. Having stood unoccupied for a number of years, the building, with its iconic copper roof and parabolic form, provided a perfect shell for the architects to work with, as well as embodying the nuanced design sensibilities which the Design Museum aspired to present to the visiting public through its collections and exhibitions.

Architectural Photography of the London Design Museum’s Central Atrium

A little over a year on since its initial opening I was commissioned by several clients in the Spring of 2018 to undertake the architectural photography of the London Design Museum, covering the Interior spaces; public viewing galleries, paid exhibition areas, library, research facilities and offices. Upon entering the building the first thing that greets your vision is the vast atrium which rises 4-stories and is capped by the amazing parabolic roof structure. Displays adorn the natural wooden walls, staircases and corridors emerge connecting the various levels of public exhibition space, while those heading to the basement level will find themselves in the chargeable, temporary exhibits.

The view from the Design Museums upper floor looking across the atrium.

A team of several architectural practices were enlisted to work on the project with John Pawson taking responsibility for the Interior space and both OMA and Allies and Morrison handling the refurbishment of the external structure. The extensive works carried out by the contractor Mace and structural engineers Arup, included a significant reconfiguration of the structure and excavation of the basement to increase floor space. To meet modern building standards the external facade had to be completely replaced, while still retaining the blue-glass appearance of the original building.

Architecture of the parabolic roof structure.

The internal space created by John Pawson’s design team lends itself perfectly to the architectural photographers lens, with intersecting planes that frame the museum’s visitors and the expanse of space created by the atrium which exposes their activity at all levels. The permanent exhibitions of the upper levels detail the history of design, showcasing an array of nostalgia inducing gadgets extracted from the recent past and presented anew for our curiosity. These exhibits, not surprisingly, utilise a design aesthetic of the museums own making so as to distinguish information, ease navigation and engage its audience.

The Museums reception area with exhibition space on the above level.

At the time of photographing the Museum there was a wonderful Ferrari exhibition being held, If you weren’t lucky enough to see it in person, you can see some of those images along with all the other interior and exterior shots I took in my portfolio.

Project Team:

Developer: Ilchester Estates and the Design Museum
Contractor: Mace
Architect: John Pawson, Allies and Morrison, OMA
Photography Clients: Troldtekt & Abet Laminati
Architectural Photographer: Alex Upton

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Location: Cannon Bridge House (The River Building) 25 Dowgate Hill, London UK.
Architect: Stiff + Trevillion
Developer / Contractor: Blackstone Group / Lend Lease
Photography Client: Structura UK

The multidisciplinary West London architectural and design practice Stiff + Trevillion have recently completed both an internal and external refurbishment of Cannon Bridge House, which is situated on the north bank of the Thames River in central London. As the internal fit-out was nearing completion the client Structura UK requested photography of the interior office spaces, with a focus specifically on the curtain walling system they installed.  

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Cannon Bridge House or The River Building as it is now known had gone unmodernised since the early 1990's and was no longer suitable to cater for the demands of a 21st century office space. With the buildings central location it was a prime subject for redevelopment by the developer and owner Blackstone.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

The alterations made to the original structure are succinctly noted by the architects: 

'Upgrading of the southern building elevation. Redesign of the existing building entrances on Cousin Lane. Improved  glass link on the 1st floor between the Atrium and River Building. Reduction in the size of the River Building atrium roof.'

Cannon Bridge House Interior. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

One of the defining features of the building internally is the convergence of two diagonal panels of glazing, which at their meeting point command amazing views South of the Thames River. If that wasn't stimulating enough for the buildings soon to be occupiers there are also trains silently passing under the building as they cross the river along Cannon Street Rail Bridge. Internally it is hard to picture the building from the outside as its now modern interior contrasts sharply with its yellow brick exterior and the wide arches that perforate it at intervals.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Another exciting part of the development, which I am unfortunately unable to provide photographic evidence of, is the new roof garden which provides an area of respite for the busy office workers below. Unusually for a city often hidden beneath a horizontal wall of grey, watery vapour the sky garden has emerged as an essential feature of any new office development. This has given rise to all manner of extra curricular horticultural happenings taking place in the cities upper atmosphere, unbeknownst to the uninitiated citizens of the streets below. Adjacent roof gardens now rival each other for the most finely preened shrubs in an undeclared topiary showdown which has produced hedges of logic defying geometries.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Returning inside the building you are greeted by a central atrium which rises up two floors to be met by an arched, glazed roof allowing natural light to flood into the building. Unfortunately at the time i was photographing the site there were still on-going maintenance works around the atrium which limited the images I could capture.

Cannon Bridge House Atrium. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Leaving Cannon Bridge House that day after several hours of photography I couldn't help wishing that I might one day spend a day there as a worker, enjoying the view of the trains traversing the river below and popping up to the roof garden at lunch time for a spot of high-rise relaxation among the finely sculpted foliage. Having not seen the building internally before its makeover it is hard to visualise what existed in its place. What is evident though, is that Stiff + Trevillion's redevelopment has created a modern, light filled space which incorporates elements of the original structure, brickwork and steel, in a manner that gives prominence to them rather than hides them from view.  It is a great space, with many additional attributes provided by its location and history.