Public Hall Co-Working Space in London by Sella Concept

A collaboration between venture firm PUBLIC and workspace accelerator Huckletree, a new co-working space is set to open in London’s Westminster designed by Sella Concept. Public Hall is set within One Horse Guards Avenue, which sits comfortably among the city’s most impressive buildings both in terms of its history and architecture. Built in 1884 in the French Renaissance style, it stands an imposing 100m tall and spans 180m along the edge of Embankment Gardens, an iconic stretch of the Thames vista.

In developing the elegant and contemporary co-working hub, Sella had to navigate protective heritage constraints, bringing to life a new design without touching the walls, floors or ceiling. Originally an apartment block, the building served as MI6 HQ during WWl, and now enters a new chapter as Westminster’s only curated co-working space focused on public-sector technology start-ups and innovators, aka ‘GovTech’. The workspace aims to nurture the community and build relationships with civil servants and policymakers, helping to shape the future of public services.

“We were conscious that although our designs needed to bring newness, they also needed to be mindful of their historic setting… The result is a merging of old and new, bringing new sophistication and a contemporary take on Art Deco,” says Huckletree founder and CEO Gabriela Hersham.

Traditional features are preserved, including intricate cornicing, coffered ceilings, tall arched windows, and timber double doors. Within the building’s unique bones, Huckletree turned to Sella to conceive a unique and energising environment for disruptive modern thinking to thrive. Prevented from making structural changes to dictate the flow, Sella concentrated on using furniture, fixtures, paintwork and decor to determine aesthetic and function within the space. Accommodating up to 250 members, the open-plan workspace includes communal areas and meeting rooms, a bespoke library and a bar featuring an integrated tree.

Taking cues from both the French Renaissance architecture and the progressive habits of today’s communal working culture, Sella employed material touches to pay tribute to the heritage elements. French cane adorns the reception desk, whereas bold forms, colour palettes, and timber accents tilt toward the contemporary. Huckletree’s own black and white stripes brand motif is subtly woven into the space, such as in the black glossy tabletops with cylindrical striped timber legs in the meeting rooms. Colours reflective of English heritage include celestial blue, Dorchester pink and sage green.

See more projects by Sella Concept on Yellowtrace here.