Clerkenwell Office / Architecture For London

Architects: Architecture for London
Area: 10,150 ft²
Photography: Architecture for London
Lead Architects: Ben Ridley, Matt McKenna, Moa Wintzell
Structural Engineering: FORM Structural Design
Materials: Architectural blockwork, Wood-fibre insulation, Mineral wool insulation, Triple glazing, Zinc cladding
City: London
Country: United Kingdom

The Clerkenwell Office project transforms a five-storey Victorian warehouse into an expanded and energy-efficient workplace while retaining its historic character. The retrofit increases the internal area by nearly fifty percent through a rear extension and a setback rooftop addition, all developed with lightweight construction methods that avoid overloading the original foundations. A fabric-first approach governs the environmental strategy, with upgraded insulation, triple glazing, and an airtight envelope helping the building achieve a strong operational performance. The scheme eliminates all gas systems, integrates photovoltaic panels, and employs mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to improve indoor comfort and reduce energy use. The retrofit also preserves original brick façades and timber floor structures, complemented by a new blockwork core designed to minimise material consumption. By combining adaptive reuse with careful technical detailing, the project supports long-term flexibility and responds to the dense historic context of Clerkenwell.

Clerkenwell office / architecture for london

The retrofit of the Clerkenwell warehouse offers a study in how contemporary interventions can heighten the value of an existing urban building without diminishing its inherited qualities. Architecture for London approached the project as both an environmental upgrade and a spatial recalibration, treating the Victorian structure as a resource to be extended rather than replaced. Much of the design effort centres on understanding how the historic frame could accept new loads and improved performance without invasive structural works, allowing the project to grow while maintaining its original character.

The extension strategy significantly increases the building’s usable area through a three-storey rear addition and a setback zinc-clad rooftop level, supported by lightweight construction to avoid altering the cast iron columns and masonry walls below. This expansion accommodates six upper-floor workspaces and a showroom at ground and basement levels, all served by a new lift, reconfigured stairs, and improved entrance sequence. These interventions create a more accessible and coherent vertical arrangement while retaining the warehouse’s essential material presence.

Along Albemarle Way, the design responds to the narrow medieval street with an articulated façade that echoes neighbouring Victorian details. Recessed panels and carefully proportioned elements establish a sense of depth that becomes more pronounced when viewed from the low street perspective. This sensitivity to context aligns with the broader ambition to preserve and elevate the character of the existing fabric.

Environmental performance underpins every aspect of the retrofit. A fully electric system with rooftop photovoltaic panels supports fossil-fuel-free operation, while MVHR improves both efficiency and air quality by filtering pollutants from the adjacent main road. The building’s emissions for new works achieve a marked improvement over regulatory requirements, aided by airtight construction, high-performance insulation, and triple glazing. Overheating analysis informed façade optimisation, ensuring balanced daylight without excessive solar gain.

Material choices are equally deliberate. A new exposed blockwork core, developed with the manufacturer and structural engineers, uses lightweight voided units arranged in a refined pattern that eliminates steel reinforcement and reduces concrete use. Heritage façades receive breathable wood-fibre insulation, and new upper levels employ mineral wool cavities for fire-rated performance. This precision reduces waste and reinforces the project’s fabric-first ethos.

Removing layers of accumulated material revealed the warehouse’s structural clarity, exposing brick piers, iron columns, and timber joists that once supported industrial loads. The introduction of generous opening sizes and clerestory windows draws natural light across these surfaces, establishing an atmosphere that celebrates the building’s age while supporting contemporary work environments. Through a balanced combination of restraint and intervention, the project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can meet modern demands while honouring the endurance of historic construction.