Barbara Weiss Architects - London, Brent Cross area

Date: 11 Jan 2010

Shubette's new building: fit for a fashion house.

The company premises of a high quality women's fashion business like Shubette, which markets clothes under the Gina Bacconi fashion brand, must convey the right image. When Shubette moved its headquarters from Wembley on the north-west outskirts of London to a location near the Brent Cross shopping Centre, Barbara Weiss Architects was appointed to achieve just that.

Weiss was commissioned to transform a 50,000 square feet (4,645 square metres), dilapidated 1980s industrial unit in Apsley Way, Brent Park, into a headquarters fit for a fashion house. Weiss undertook the design and supervised the fitting out of what was to become design studios, showrooms, sample manufacturing facilities, administrative offices and a warehouse.

The building presented a number of challenges that had to be overcome. Typical of 1980s industrial buildings, the exterior was unwelcoming; inside, the space was split between ground floor and a modified mezzanine floor; rooms were dark with limited natural light; and circulation was poor.

The transformation began with stripping the façade to create a simple and elegant finish, which dramatically enhances the approach to the building. The entrance and reception creates a focal point and exudes a sense of quality, a theme which is continued throughout. The reception area is welcoming, spacious, light and airy, and houses a desk made of Zebrano designed by Barbara Weiss Architects exclusively for Shubette. Fluorescent tubes hang from the ceiling in an interesting composition and, to complete the look, a stylish new staircase with glass balustrades takes the visitor into the main work space above.

In designing the first floor, a careful analysis of the business and the range of functions that were to be accommodated was undertaken. The result is a largely open-plan layout designed to optimise work flow while providing a pleasant working environment. In an effort to retain the natural light following the gutting of the building, the space is top lit and cellular offices have glass partitions to ensure the central space remains bright - you can stand in the centre of the space and see outside.

Barbara Weiss Architects believes in taking a holistic approach to designing buildings, and therefore areas such as the kitchenette and washrooms are to the same high standard as the main space. It is a democratic workspace where every member of staff enjoys the same quality environment.

"By keeping things simple we have achieved a design that is clean, elegant and conveys the right image while being an efficient and functional building that is the working heart of the company," Weiss said.

Shubette's new premises

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