Universal Design Studio has created a unique workplace environment within London's Norton Folgate development by collaborating with contemporary craftspeople including weavers, enamelers, and other skilled artisans. The project celebrates the rich creative heritage of east London's Spitalfields neighborhood, transforming historic buildings into modern office spaces that honor the area's centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship.
The Norton Folgate development encompasses 330,000 square feet across six buildings, with Universal Design Studio curating the interiors of three key structures: 16 Blossom Street, Nicholls & Clarke, and 15 Norton Folgate. These Georgian and Victorian-era buildings are strategically located in Spitalfields, a district that has attracted skilled craftspeople since the 17th century when it emerged as a major hub of England's textile industry.
"At the heart of this project was a commitment to craft, storytelling, and the art of making," explained Universal Design Studio. "By integrating skilled makers early in the process, we ensured artistry, materiality, and narrative became intrinsic to the outcome. This approach allowed for bespoke, site-responsive pieces that enriched the spaces, reinforcing the importance of handcrafted detail and the enduring value of skilled craftsmanship."
The design team commissioned south London-based textile artist Lara Pain to create custom woven curtains for 15 Norton Folgate, paying homage to the Huguenot weavers who fled to Spitalfields in the latter half of the 1600s to escape religious persecution in France. Pain's curtains feature a subtle checkered pattern and are mounted on ceiling tracks, allowing them to be drawn across different areas to create private seating pockets throughout the office space.
Sustainability and longevity played crucial roles in the material selection process. Berkshire-based timber specialist Benchmark fabricated red oak joinery designed with future adaptability in mind. "The timber was specified in individual, consistent thicknesses to allow easy disassembly and reuse without disrupting the whole system," the studio explained. "Wherever possible, timber is solid, finished with oil, and assembled using minimal adhesives and analogue fixings."
For the Nicholls & Clarke building, Universal Design Studio collaborated with British enameling company AJ Wells to produce a distinctive meeting table. The resulting piece features amorphous blocks of peachy-orange enamel that appear to have been organically molded together. "By spending time in [AJ Wells'] factory, we gained a deeper understanding of pigmenting and shaping, adapting the table's radii and color palette to align with enamel's capabilities," the studio noted.
London-based furniture designer Lewis Kemmenoe was tasked with creating substantial kitchen tables for each level of the four-story 16 Blossom Street building. These communal pieces, measuring 4.7 meters in length, are crafted from solid elm wood and feature hand-cut inlays of walnut, ash, and mahogany veneer. According to the studio, these tables "reinforce the importance of shared moments within the workplace," serving as focal points for employee interaction and collaboration.
The Norton Folgate project has garnered significant recognition within the design community, earning a spot on the shortlist for the large workplace interior category in this year's Dezeen Awards. The project competes alongside other innovative workplace designs, including a mass-timber office for a forestry company in Helsinki and a Melbourne co-working space inspired by ancient Roman forums, demonstrating the global trend toward thoughtful, culturally-informed workplace design.
