SDA 2022 Entries

• Commercial Building - Buildings that are used for commercial purposes, and include retail, hospitality, workplaces, factories and warehouses and buildings where commercial services are provided. At least 50 percent of the buildings’ floor space will be used for commercial activities. 

12-13 Wells Mews: A former car park transformed into a modern workspace

Six floors of contemporary, converted warehouse office space, situated in the epicenter of Fitzrovia, Wells Mews has been designed by Ben Adams Architects to provide 22,798 sq ft of office space.

On entry, there is a modern, open, and spacious reception to offer an arrival experience and this theme of openness is continued across all the floors, through to the roof terrace that looks out over Fitzrovia. The heritage building dons an industrial style, and so to remain authentic to the building, there are exposed finishes throughout the large, open-plan floor plates to reflect and play to this heritage. This is also balanced with contemporary touches to offer a new, contemporary workspace for the modern-day workforce.

— Occupational density: 1:6 sq m
— Ceiling heights up to 3.2m
— Manned open reception area
— Roof terrace with planters that looks out over Fitzrovia
— Suspended LED lighting
— 2 x 8 person lift
— 40 bicycle parking spaces to encourage cycle to work and wellbeing
— 40 lockers
— 2 showers
— Recycling store

The building is Covid-conscious and has been designed to give the occupiers peace of mind, with workspaces that are healthy, safe, and productive. As such, the building features:
— Contactless entry
— Enhanced cleaning procedures
— Signage and one-way systems designed to maintain social distancing
— Hand sanitisation stations throughout the building
— Temperature control checks available on arrival
— Openable windows
— Extensive cycle and car parking facilities

The building is situated within a few minutes' walk of London’s transport network and is at the main axis of the London Underground, Oxford Circus.

Project completion: September 2021
Project cost: Confidential

• Exposed brickwork
• Bronze
• Beam steel: New and existing exposed structural steels with exposed rivets
• Terrazzo tiles (in the bathroom)
• Blackened steel
• Herringbone tiling to resemble the tyre tracks and link with the heritage of the building
• Exposed concrete, for example in the lift core
• New crittal style windows
• Vintage light fittings in the reception to play to the heritage
• Original, refurbished glazed bricks with tyre print pattern (external)
• Polished concrete floor in the reception with brass inlaid strips
• Zinc cladding (external)
• Reused hardwood garage doors from the original car park

A design feature is where the staircase used to located, with all the multi-coloured textured brickwork in what appears to be a patchwork format.

Further material images are available.