London Research Office

A small but flexible workspace in central London, the London Research Office occupies roughly 418 m² (about 4,500 sq ft) of north-facing mansard at Finlaison House. Designed by Hong Kong studio The Office as a Project for a London-based infrastructure research organisation, the scheme works hard to host up to 45 staff at peak times without making the floorplate feel crowded.

Two practical needs shaped the brief. The first was light and a sense of space. With the floor facing predominantly north, the studio aligned curtains and partitions on a north-south axis so that daylight from the perimeter could travel as far into the plan as possible. Glazed and mirrored partitions throughout extend sightlines and bounce the available light without breaking the privacy of focused work, so the space can read as open or closed depending on which curtains and partitions are drawn.

The second was the work itself. The researchers move in temporary teams, structured around papers and reports, so the office needed more concentrated reading and writing space than a typical workplace, alongside a range of meeting environments. The practice ran workshops with employees to understand these routines, then planned a spectrum of settings: semi-open desk areas in team-sized groups, a quiet library and reading space, stand-up meeting counters, big-table social and lunch areas, and corners just wide enough for a private phone call.

Architectural moves are deliberately light: transparent and mirrored partitions, movable curtains, and mirrored millwork of varied dimensions along the northern windows. Subtle reflections create visual privacy without disorientation, letting workers hide in plain sight while the whole space remains legible.

Project details
Completion year: 2018
Floor area: roughly 4,500 sq ft (418 m²)
Building levels: 1
Sector: Commercial workplace
Location: Central London, UK

Credits
Designer: The Office as a Project (Michael He)
Photographers: Peter Landers; The Office as a Project