Ted Baker Headquaters, St Pancras

40,000sqft offices for retailer with 125 workplaces, reception, showrooms, meeting rooms and cafe/restaurant. Commission completed April 2000.
Named the Ugly Brown Building for good reason, the outside of this former postal sorting office is retained, but for the addition of a large entrance door billboard of a red lobster. The route upwards from the lobby is punctuated by a timeline of Ted Baker products. Retained goods lifts are illuminted and have interactive noise panels for in-lift entertainment.
The arrival at the third floor reception is spectacular. The courtyard opens out under a glazed roof, used for relaxing, eating and drinking and greeting visitors. A dramatic secondary stair in the courtyard space leads down to the showrooms.
Large open floor plates house 'events' such as workstations, meeting rooms, screens, furniture, and planting. The floor surface is a seamless sealed screed, through which the remains of the original floor and partitions are faintly visible. With all building services supplied from the ceiling or perimeter there is optimum flexibility of work areas which can be adapted to individual requirements.
The building is stripped back to its bare shell, cleaned and stabilized. Whilst contrasting walnut timber surfaces, concrete, steel, printed images and strong colours are introduced.