The Department Store
SQUIRE AND PARTNERS
London based architects Squire
and Partners purchased a
dilapidated Edwardian department
store in Brixton and entirely
reimagined the space allowing
the existing fabric and layers of
history to inform the new design.
Collaborating with craftspeople
and furniture makers, the restored
building provides an exciting array
of spaces for the various design
disciplines within the practice.
Stripping the building back to
its raw state revealed a decayed
grandeur and an extraordinary
commitment to craft and detail
by the original artisans of the
day. The practice sought to reveal
and highlight these elements – in
their found state – as well as
exposing remnants left by more
recent inhabitants, whilst adding a
series of sensitive contemporary
interventions in order to repurpose
the building as an inspiring modern
workspace.
On the exterior, designs focussed
on reversing years of neglect
to reactivate the street level
through animation and display.
Incrementally added shopfronts
and layers of paint were removed
to reveal original brickwork, stone,
marble, and terracotta. A new
rooftop level was added comprising
www.refurbandrestore.co.uk - 5