Designers Statement
There has been a huge number of new residential developments along City Road in Shoreditch. The location, until only recently, was famous for accommodating the largest concentration of artists in Europe. That may no longer be the case, but moving in are a generation of young people who have flair and enjoy a new way of working and living in our vibrant city. The new residents expect to live in a certain style, in buildings that are notable architecturally with City Road becoming known as Starchitects Canyon with work from Foster + Partners and SOM.
My clients, a young couple from Australia moved into The Makers building with its breath-taking double-height entrance lobby which hosts the vital 24/7 concierge. Interior design by Woods Bagot, the material palette takes inspiration from the 1920s – terrazzo flooring, bespoke lighting, bespoke furniture, brass details and smoked oak chevron floors to set the tone for that certain Shoreditch vibe.
Designed to foster a sense of community both inside and outside, the communal areas include a lounge where residents can welcome guests, hold informal meetings, work and socialise, a screening room for films and live sporting events, a fully equipped gym and treatment room, and 160 square metres of outside space across two communal roof gardens – landscaped by Grant Associates – perfect for summer parties and alfresco dining. There is even secure storage for 335 bikes.
The apartment they chose is lower down in the building so that they don’t feel removed from what is special about Shoreditch, the business, and blend of old industrial buildings with the best of the new. I needed to follow this feeling through inside their new home.
I was on a strict budget, not a penny over and had to work strategically to afford this new space personality, a reflection of them and where they live.
