The Chant Group, City of London

The brief:

The Chant Group asked MPL to complete an office refurbishment on historic Canon Street in the heart of London’s financial district. This premise was set over a ground floor and a basement, having laid empty for a period of time. The desire was to divide the ground floor into two offices – one to be sublet out - replan the space in the basement and highlight some of the unusual structural features. Aesthetically, the client wanted the natural warmth of wood to be combined with a more urban colour palette.

Our approach:

The initial site survey identified that a full strip out and make good phase was crucial to implementing the new office design. A new dropped raft ceiling with recess for LED lights, sub floor prep for all new floorcoverings, drylining walls and a base redecoration would provide the perfect blank canvas. On a more technical level, the premise required an entirely new light/power/data/heat provision, executed during the first fix phase.

Continuity through custom made

Natural, warm oak plays a huge role in this refurbishment and the only way to ensure the continuity of the grain and tone was to commission a full suite of bespoke joinery. Not only did this create a pleasingly consistent look, it allowed our team to design items that would exactly fit this period building.

The ground floor was fitted with a bespoke reception desk and panelled wall, complemented by an illuminated logo in a soft opal white. The vertical timber detail was taken from the desk and applied to a modesty screen, with full height battens providing a degree of privacy in front of the tailor-made cluster desk. A curved banquette-style sofa provides client seating, designed to be inch perfect and with matching oak end panels to tie the look together.

In the basement, oak provided a foil to the gun metal grey walls. Custom built storage is hidden behind handle-free, oak veneered doors – made possible by building the wall out to increase the depth. A gap around the perimeter edge accommodates LED lighting, elevating what could have been a basic run of cupboards. Other storage comes in the form of oak-lined bookshelves, while the cluster desk features a matching oak top.

Underneath the arches

Made-to-measure was also the order of the day when it came to four original arches in the basement. They have become unique meeting hubs, fitted with benches, tables, screens, featuring lighting and power/charging sockets. A brick slip wall finish provides tactile interest. Natural light comes from above via glass pavements lights – a detail that was exposed by MPL fitters and refurbished to a high standard.

Additional elements

The exterior was given a facelift with new ironmongery, a fresh coat of paint, new fascia sign with trough light, window decals and a projecting sign. A boardroom and a separate director’s office were created from the open plan basement using Crittall-style glass partitions. Back office facilities included a new communal kitchen, two cloakrooms and a shower room. MPL also supplied all ancillary storage, artwork, office chairs, pendant lights, and tables in the boardroom and director’s office.