Our Great Suffolk Yard project for TLS is a major £18.5 million redevelopment of an inner-city block, which has delivered a new commercial development in Borough.

The scheme repurposes the block as a family of buildings to preserve its eclectic character and historic patina.

Our design retained, refurbished and extended three of the buildings on the site, complementing them with four new buildings around a central yard to complete the city block.

Built around a central yard, the eclectic existing buildings – ranging between two and three storeys – reflect the industrial history of the wider area: tall warehouses assembled closely around a canyon-like shared yard.

To inform the design we conducted extensive archive, library and physical site research and worked closely with Southwark’s planning officers over two pre-applications to develop a scheme which is embedded in the neighbourhood.

The client brief required a contemporary commercial development which offered the flexibility to be let either as a single building or to multiple tenants, with a 1:6 or 1:8 capacity. This presented a tension between the requirement of the plan – to provide connected open plan floor space – and the elevations and character of the site, which called for conserving a family of distinct buildings.

Our strategy was to divide the plot into key massing elements, rebuilding it holistically through a series of new buildings, rooftop extensions and roof terraces.

Floorplates have been designed to create a clear sequence of spaces across the site, so that the buildings can be occupied by a single tenant or multiple tenants.

The existing central yard space at the heart of the scheme can be accessed at both ends of the site, from Great Suffolk Street and Pickwick Street. Previously under-utilised as a car park, it is a valuable amenity bringing in daylight and natural ventilation to the workspaces.

It has been completely transformed with a network of exterior metal walkways – redolent of Shad Thames’ walkways – scaling the perimeter buildings and opening up routes into the yard from all levels of the buildings, animating the yard and creating a sense of community across the site.

Served by a ground floor café, the yard is a dynamic communal space at the hub of the development, complementing the new roof terraces which provide spaces for retreat and reflection.

Internally, the original buildings will be stripped back to their core, exposing the brick walls and increasing daylight levels. Emulating a raw, industrial aesthetic, services will be exposed throughout. New additions will be characterised by fair-faced blockwork and self-finished materials, drawing a clear distinction between new and old.

Wayfinding is identified by timber doors and gates throughout to signify entry moments from the surrounding streets. The dark stained timber finish has been used throughout as a unifying, legible element.

New London Architecture

Research Paper: WRK/LDN: Office Revolution?

The Architects’ Journal

TDO unveils plans for £18.5m revamp of historic Southwark yard

Building Design

TDO wins planning for £18.5m Southwark scheme

Street level images by Darc Studio

Model film by Moyo