Universal Design Studio — Norton Folgate

Nestled between Spitalfields, Shoreditch and the City, Norton Folgate is a 335,000 sq ft mixed-use development that brings together new architecture, adaptive reuse and the sensitive restoration of historic buildings.

Commissioned by British Land, the project offered an opportunity to craft interiors that not only respond to shifting work patterns, but also speak to the layered cultural and architectural history of the East End. A deep commitment to material integrity, local craft and placemaking runs throughout, placing sustainability, adaptability and longevity at their core.

The buildings were approached individually, each with a distinct identity shaped by its context and purpose whilst remaining united by a shared philosophy where heritage and contemporary design sit comfortably side by side.

“Universal has created something that places sustainability at the forefront of every concept, while still having a bespoke approach for each of the buildings.” — Mike Wisemann, Head of Office Leasing at British Land

Working closely with a group of local makers and fabricators, our design embraces material honesty and celebrates the art of making. From hand-woven textiles to sculptural furniture and expressive joinery, the scheme draws upon the neighbourhood's longstanding traditions of making, whilst supporting a new generation of craftspeople.

Blending historic references with innovative craft, our design concept embraces a multi-layered approach. A palette of robust materials, honest detailing and tactile finishes allows the spaces to feel both characterful and flexible — respecting the past whilst shaping the future of workplace design.

15 Norton Folgate

Once home to a thriving community of Huguenot silk weavers, 15 Norton Folgate draws on this legacy of creativity and craftsmanship. We commissioned South-East London-based weaver Lara Pain, who has extensively studied the history of the Huguenot tradition, to create a series of bespoke woven curtains that celebrate the weaving process itself.

Demonstrating both process and storytelling, the curtains incorporate purposeful details, such as tied-off threads, to echo historic weaving techniques. Pain’s development samples and material tests are also framed and displayed throughout the space, foregrounding the rigour of making and the heritage it honours.

DETAIL

Meet the makers: Lara Pain

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16 Blossom Street

Taking cues from the building’s Arts & Crafts heritage and former life as a tinsmiths, here the interiors are layered with craft, colour and material expression. At the heart of each floor is a five-metre-long kitchen table, designed in collaboration with London-based maker Lewis Kemmenoe.

Made from solid British elm and inlaid with hand-cut veneers including walnut, ash and mahogany, the table blends warmth, ornament and scale. Bold oak burl legs add sculptural weight and echo Kemmenoe’s signature approach to material and form. Elsewhere, bespoke pieces, along with blackened metal details from cabinetry handles to lighting designed by Nocturne, reference the building’s industrial past. Layered rugs, tactile finishes and work by artists such as Eline Baas further ground the spaces in character and craft.

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Meet the makers: Lewis Kemmenoe

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Nicholls & Clarke

Nicholls & Clarke carries forward the narrative of industrial heritage and material innovation. Marking the entrance, a site-specific installation by Vogel Studio introduces a moment of still drama. Formed from fine stainless steel mesh, the piece appears as suspended fabric mid-motion — its moiré effect shifting with light and perspective. Evocative of the site’s history of craftsmanship and experimentation, the work sits somewhere between sculpture and memory, a layered expression of time and texture.

A series of bespoke enamel tables were developed in collaboration with esteemed Isle of Wight enamellers AJ Wells & Sons, drawing on the expressive polish and vibrant palette of the building’s Art Deco heritage. Each piece is handcrafted using a refined enamel-mixing technique, with ergonomic detailing such as cork-lined undersides enhancing user experience. The centrepiece — a sculptural composition of interlocking geometric forms — takes cues from the urban rhythm of Spitalfields and the golden-hour light that filters through the space.

DETAIL

Meet the makers: AJ Wells & Sons

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Nicholls & Clarke

Throughout the building, British furniture makers Benchmark crafted the principal joinery elements, designed to respond to the building’s varied scales and adaptive reuse. While a consistent design language runs throughout, material finishes introduce quiet distinction: white-oiled red oak was selected here, in contrast to the red oak of 15 Norton Folgate and grey-stained oak of 16 Blossom Street — each choice attuned to the specific context and character of its setting.