135 Bishopsgate, London - Fletcher Priest Associates

Situated near the busy transport hub of Liverpool Street Station is 135 Bishopsgate, a building shared by several businesses, all with unique requirements. Innovative architecture practice Fletcher Priest Associates was assigned the task of upgrading the existing building to meet modern needs.

Since their creation forty-one years ago, Fletcher Priest Associates has tackled projects as diverse as The Whitechapel Building, the Mall Galleries and Chelsea Football Club. The practice prides itself on not having a 'house style', preferring to let the design process and client needs guide outcomes. The 135 Bishopsgate project is no exception.

The development features a mix of office, hospitality and expanded retail space. The ongoing brief devises a scheme that "features a revised reception, split over the ground and first floors, providing access from both Bishopsgate and the Great Eastern Walkway." the project aims to complement and accentuate the original building designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in the late 1980s.

Fletcher Priest enlisted the help of Viaduct to help specify furniture and lighting for the first stage of the project. Our Contracts team helped develop the furniture schedule for the Reception, Business and Outdoor Lounge areas. This included a mix of both indoor and outdoor furniture that needed to complement each other, giving a sense of continuity to shared spaces.

A selection of wire outdoor furniture by Italian brand Pedrali was chosen in muted hues for the outdoor area, their visual lightness providing a counterfoil to the solidity of the upholstered outdoor 'Pebbles' dotted throughout the space. The business lounge features a rich palette of dark woods and blue and red velvets; softened with the addition of neutral tones and wood-panelled walls.

Large communal tables and sofas are combined with smaller private areas, allowing clients to use the lounge in varying ways. The overlap into the outdoor area providing a sense of rare tranquillity and relaxation in this busy city hub.

Project ongoing.

For more information on Fletcher Priest, please visit their website: fletcherpriest.com.

Photographer: Jack Hobhouse