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Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —
Certified B Corporation — Adaptive Retrofit — Humanising Infrastructure — Making better places — Architecture — Public Realm — Spatial Strategy — Creative Reuse — Urban Transformation — Decarbonisation —

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Founded in the recession of the mid-90s, we cut our teeth on small projects, creating interventions within existing structures and historic buildings, often with limited means. We still have a strong affinity with this kind of work.

We enjoy identifying what qualities and opportunities can be found within existing buildings to support their adaptive re-use and bring something new, often combining spatial ambition with technical improvements to the building fabric to adjust them to contemporary needs.

Bloqs / The conversion and extension of a redundant vehicle testing station to form a new home for Bloqs, London’s biggest makerspace for profossionals providing workshops for metal and wood, fabric and paint studios, CNC and textiles.

We work with what exists, developing an understanding of the potential to both reinvent and protect buildings, extending their lifespans and providing cost effective and lower-carbon alternatives to new buildings for our clients.

We really enjoy close collaboration with our clients, consultants and contractors and share our enthusiasm in the pursuit of better, more affordable and more successful projects. We are skilled in adding value to all our projects in both quantitative and qualitative terms, by making buildings that are more relevant, by using our design intelligence, innovation and ingenuity to unlock planning constraints, and by embracing value as a critical component of the brief and design.

“Once 5th Studio was appointed, we were able to develop a close relationship with them, particularly as we saw their flair and willingness to collaborate. With the practice on board, we have achieved a home that is not only fit for purpose – light, bright, with decent clearance and smooth floors – but that celebrates and supports our makers by giving them a space with the function of a factory yet the aesthetics of a gallery.

We are here to empower makers and manufacturing as a necessary and intrinsic part of any vital city. With this home, this open access factory, the first of its kind, we now have buildings that match the creativity and brilliance of our makers, a home that sells our model, pointing the way to what is yet to come.”

Al Parra, co-founder, Bloqs

FORT REGENT, JERSEY / 5th Studio with White Arkitekter were one of four invited teams that explored the future of Fort Regent, our proposal centred on the adaptive reuse of the existing structure, saving the embodied carbon from demolition, preserving a local landmark, and transforming it into a city-scale resource for culture, creative industries and the state’s youth.
THE COALFACE / As a ‘meanwhile’ use for Dorrington – pending site redevelopment – this project converts a 1960s building into a successful co-working centre, providing a range of work settings from hot-desk to private office with shared reception, meeting rooms and breakout spaces.

“Working with 5th Studio was an absolute pleasure. They have a ‘can do’ attitude and a problem-solving mentality.

When you add their keen eye for design and their enthusiasm for the task at hand, what’s not to like?”

Robert Harris, Dorrington, Director – Head of Commercial

The lack of availability and high cost of land for new buildings in our cities – combined with concerns over carbon emissions and energy costs – is fuelling a shift towards retrofitting and reinventing existing buildings. Clients are increasingly calling on our experience in sustainable building refurbishment to transform existing commercial building stock, providing a viable future and creating energy efficient, contemporary accommodation.

In the context of changes to working patterns post-pandemic, it is critical that working spaces are attractive and support the rapid changes in the economy. We have explored this recently at the scale of a commercial estate at Regent’s Place for British Land and at the scale of building fabric for Dorrington at Clifton House.

REGENT'S PLACE / 5th Studio were commissioned by British Land to investigate the potential to transform this commercial estate, improving its ground level activation, quality of its public spaces and opening it up to the wider city. We developed a public realm framework which we have since supported through the development of detailed proposals for delivery.
WESTLEGATE, NORWICH / Rather than demolish the existing 1960s tower, we proposed to make it more appropriate to its setting in Norwich – the ‘city of towers’ – and to deliver for the City planners the desired urban connectivity which the tower had obliterated.

“The architects, 5th Studio, decided to question the City Council’s planning policy, which recommended demolition of the tower; they saw that retention and reuse were not only possible but could bring real positives in terms of sustainability and a new social cohesion for the area.

In order to improve the proportion of the tower, its height was increased by three storeys, producing a more appealing and slender silhouette. This, together with new cladding, means that the development now provides a landmark for the city rather than the eyesore that the unused tower became. ”

RIBA Judges’ Citation on Westlegate

“The Wolfson Flats were in a sorry state before the start of this project – damp, cold, inhospitable and cramped. Churchill College now has a building of which it can be justifiably proud.

According to our students it provides among the most comfortable, affordable accommodation for students with families or partners in Cambridge.”

Jennifer Brooke, Bursar of Churchill College

WOLFSON FLATS, CHURCHILL COLLEGE / The award-winning refurbishment of this brutalist 1960s block was concerned as much with the reinvention of its unsympathetic image as with the delivery of greater comfort, usable space and significant improvements in energy efficiency.
NEW COURT, TRINITY COLLEGE / The development of contemporary accommodation within the Grade 1-listed interiors of this 1820s courtyard represents a landmark in the successful integration of the concerns of sustainability and conservation. The improvements to thermal efficiency, airtightness and service installations are designed to deliver reductions of 75% and 88% respectively in the energy use and carbon emissions of the building.

Our clients need us to bring our experience in the sustainable refurbishment of listed buildings so that these can be transformed, providing a viable future and creating energy efficient, more attractive and contemporary accommodation.

Our unique approach and track record in this field is based on a close understanding of existing buildings, their fabric and significance. On this basis we have been able to persuade the heritage agencies that radical improvement of building performance can represent significant benefits.

We have delivered multiple retrofit projects for universities and colleges, including the renovation of New Court, Trinity College Cambridge which achieved a 80% reduction in energy demand, and the sensitive upgrade of Oriel College’s Grade 1 listed Dining Hall.

“I have found 5th Studio competent, helpful and totally committed to the project. They have exercised an effective leadership role in the design team and maintained a good professional relationship with the contractor.

I am a demanding client ... I would not hesitate to use 5th Studio again.”

Paul Simm, former Junior Bursar, Trinity College

“I actually think it’s the nicest place to live in College now.”

Resident of New Court, Trinity College

CONTACT

studio@5thstudio.co.uk

We are keen to receive CVs and short portfolios from Part 1 and Part 2 designers. Please contact us via recruitment@5thstudio.co.uk

We actively encourage qualified applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

LONDON Unit 14 21 Wren Street London WC1X 0HF t +44 (0)20 7837 7221 View on Google Maps

CAMBRIDGE Darkroom Gwydir Street Cambridge CB1 2LJ t +44 (0)1223 516009 View on Google Maps