Edmund de Waal Studio and Gallery

The project is a conversion of a large, leaky 1960s warehouse into a calm and light-filled south London studio/workshop/gallery/office space for the ceramics artist and writer Edmund De Waal, author of The Hare with Amber Eyes.

The original site was made up of two adjoining buildings: an open plan warehouse annexed to a two-storey office building. The concept was to retain the character and volume of the warehouse, while creating a bespoke series of connected environments for creating, display and contemplation.

The conversion involved a large open space for display and general work, along with ancilliary areas for the library, storage and archiving, ceramics glazing and firing. The nature of the project meant that lighting and, in particular, daylighting were key, and testing was carried out with the client to optimise the specifications.