Our long-term client Work.Life, a dynamic coworking provider, challenged us to revitalise The Typewriter Building at 140 Borough High Street into a vibrant workspace. Originally built in 1956 for a typewriter company, the project required balancing the building’s historical character with Work.Life’s modern, playful brand identity.
Project in brief:
Created distinct zones for collaboration, focus, and community.
Preserved heritage features while introducing modern design.
Delivered a vibrant, multi-functional space with biophilic elements.
Balancing Heritage with Modernity
We retained original features such as terrazzo flooring, staircases, and balustrades while blending them with contemporary elements to reflect Work.Life’s brand. The ground floor features hot desks, banquettes, phone booths, and a winter garden with natural light, a feature tree, and bespoke seating. Unique touches include typewriter key signage and vintage-inspired rattan panels on the teapoint bar, nodding to the building’s 1950s origins.
A Workspace for Community and Creativity
Each floor was designed with a unique colour palette to foster connection, flexibility, and productivity. Communal teapoints and breakout spaces encourage collaboration, while colourful typewriters in the winter garden provide a playful homage to the building’s past. The result is a vibrant, eco-conscious workspace that reflects Work.Life’s values and enhances the experience for its members.
Work.Life tasked us with transforming key areas of Waverley House in Soho into a vibrant coworking space. A last-minute redesign of the fifth floor, just a week before starting, required agility and creativity. The challenge involved adapting the design to existing MEPs and ensuring a seamless flow between the bustling ground floor and the newly envisioned upstairs spaces.
