Central Working, Victoria

Designing a flexible, shared workspace at Eccleston Yards, London, for one of the UK’s leading co-working office providers.

Central Working is a UK-wide network of shared workspaces, housing 3,500 businesses of all sizes. The shared workspace operator gives companies the flexibility to scale – whether it’s a start-up in need of hot desks, or blue chip companies looking for services offices to house innovation teams. Since its launch in 2011, Central Working has played an integral role in the growth of the UK's tech community, developing sites in London, Manchester and Cambridge.

One of our latest projects is Central Working Victoria, part of Grosvenor’s new mixed-use development in Eccleston Yards in London. The concept houses over 500 entrepreneurs across 28,000sq ft of space in a refurbished Victorian electrical substation.

We designed Central Working Victoria to anticipate the needs of the modern start-up community, with an all-inclusive hospitality-first approach. Catering for a group that rarely conforms to a nine-to-five routine, sleep pods are available to provide rest and relaxation, as well as a 70-seat auditorium to accommodate visiting lecturers from the tech and creative industries.

The interior design is welcoming and creative, with a ‘four-star hotel’ feel. The concept celebrates the original architectural features of the Victorian building, highlighting architectural nuances by juxtaposing original features with modern interventions.

The materials palette underscores the building’s former industrial use while adding a refined elegance. Materials include steel, light and dark timber, original Victorian bricks and off-white wall tiles, brass highlights, glass, and slim black metal frames that emphasise transitions between the old and new parts of the building. ‘Arcade’ wallpaper decorates feature walls with trompe-l’oeil arches, echoing the building’s architecture.

The colour palette is built around sophisticated shades of blue. Accent colours such as yellow and burnt ochre are introduced through the furniture and fixtures, adding relaxed luxury.

The designers chose a considered mix of contemporary furniture and lighting, peppered with modern design classics. The non-corporate aesthetic is stylishly domestic; the members’ lounge avoids ‘private members’ club’ design clichés and instead features statement black and white checkerboard floor tiles, and a historic fireplace refurbished with ‘Victorian’ patterned tiles.