A Whitechapel Road warehouse in east London, managed by a socially conscious landlord, has become a hub for local creativity, being let to small, creative start-ups. Within its folds, dynamic local practice Vine Architecture Studio (whose Mile End apartment renovation we've also explored) has transformed one of the building's floors into a modern live/work interior, making the most of the existing structure's period bones, historical features and generous volume.
Whitechapel Road warehouse conversion by Vine Architecture Studio
'[The landlord] happens to also be our landlord (our studio is in the neighbouring building),' says studio founder Rory Pennant-Rea. 'Our client, an up-and-coming fashion and costume designer, often works on location for long periods at short notice, and our refurbishment of her top-floor space acknowledges this transient lifestyle, unlocking it for both living and work.'
Working with natural and recycled materials (such as clay, timber and cork), the architects worked to craft a tailor-made interior – opening up spaces and allowing light to flow freely, while elsewhere designing bespoke furniture that carves out distinct spaces and smartly separates uses.
A mezzanine floor, added during the redesign, takes advantage of the interior tall ceilings to add usable floorspace. Underneath it is the main workspace, with its tables, benches and machinery, as well as a kitchen and bathroom.
'We pulled the [mezzanine's] floor edge back to reveal the arched warehouse window in its entirety, allowing north light to flood in and giving a stronger sense of space and connection. We left the original roof trusses exposed which mark out distinct areas for sleeping, relaxing and dressing,' says Pennant-Rea.
-
Year in review: the top 10 cars of 2024, selected by transport editor Jonathan BellWhat are our cars of the year? We’ve scoured the archives to unveil the machines that most impressed us over the past 12 months, from retro revivals to high-tech EVs
-
An Indian mud house - and more, on Sketch Design Studio's natural material wondersSketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India does wonders with the simplest ingredients
-
Experience this Singapore apartment’s Zen-like qualities and cocooning urban havenWelcome to Singapore apartment The Rasidence, a spacious, Zen-like interior by Right Angle Studio
-
A brutalist garden revived: the case of the Mountbatten House grounds by Studio Knight StokoeTour a brutalist garden redesign by Studio Knight Stokoe at Mountbatten House, a revived classic in Basingstoke, UK
-
An eco-conscious reconfiguration of space revives a London homeAn eco-conscious reimagining of a Victorian terraced home for a growing London family, THISS Studio’s Hartley House offers sustainable, spacious living
-
Gingerbread City: architects sculpt London out of the season's favourite treatUntil December 29 in Chelsea, see London brought to life in a seasonal-appropriate medium by leading architects and designers
-
This listed house in London is transformed through a contemporary celebration of the archSegmental House, a listed house transformation by Dominic McKenzie Architects, taps into the playful powers of the contemporary arch
-
Ebb and flow: Tidal House is a harmonious retreat on the Solway CoastTidal House by Brown & Brown Architects redefines coastal living with a design that balances privacy, openness, and harmony with nature
-
Farshid Moussavi’s new house in Hove is about ‘what you need and nothing more’A new house in Hove, designed by Farshid Moussavi for her parents, hits the right notes between functional and minimalist in the British seaside town
-
A Corten-clad extension creates a prominent Peckham landmark: tour Rusty House on the RyeStudio on the Rye’s radical overhaul of a 1950s house in south London pairs robust materials with expansive new interior spaces
-
The RIBA House of the Year 2024 winner is a delightful work in progressThe winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2024 is Six Columns in south London – the home of architect and 31/44 studio co-founder William Burges
