Located in the heart of Victoria, Francis House is part of a larger campus of late Victorian properties owned by Derwent London. Squire & Partners has been working with the developer since 1998 to reimagine the cluster – which totals 287,000 sq ft and includes Greencoat House, Greencoat Place and Gordon House.
Prior to Genslers interior fit out for tenant Edelman, Squire & Partners worked carefully and sensitively to strip back years of neglect and under-appreciation to reveal the grand architectural bones of Francis House and highlight its raw materials.
A former Army and Navy depository and store, the building has been reset and remodelled for the first time in 130 years to provide beyond-optimum conditions, including maximum light penetration, generously sized workspaces and double height volumes.
The original grand staircases and a magnificent lift shaft have been exposed with designs that celebrate the building’s history and Victorian craft, whilst consideration of amenity and end of journey facilities has inspired a display-case style bike storage system and changing/shower facilities on the ground floor.
