This week I’ve been focusing on designing a studio space within the railway arches, which has been a really fascinating challenge. Because the arches are part of a historic structure, we can’t alter the original brickwork at all, and since the space will be used as an office environment, we also have to follow quite strict regulations. I’ve been doing a lot of research into how other designers have approached similar restrictions and what kinds of solutions are both practical and compliant.
One of the biggest issues is that the arches sit directly under a train line and are built entirely from solid brick, so the studio has no windows and gets extremely cold in winter. Creating a warm and comfortable environment is essential. I’ve been exploring how soft materials, layered textures, and warmer tones could help introduce a sense of coziness without making the space feel heavy. At the same time, I need to keep the overall layout open and bright, so I’ve been researching lighting systems that create a soft, diffused effect to counter the lack of natural light. Finding the balance between warmth and openness has been a really interesting part of the process.
Separately, I had a meeting about how this studio could become a truly multifunctional space, since it’s used for a range of activities: podcasts, filming, workshops, and occasionally open-house exhibitions and talks. That meeting really opened up a new layer of thinking for me. I’ve started to consider how the space could be arranged so it’s easily adaptable how furniture can be modular, how certain areas can be reconfigured quickly, and how lighting and acoustics can shift depending on the type of event. The goal is to create a flexible layout that still feels cohesive, open, and effective no matter how it’s being used.
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