Dezeen Magazine

The Workshop offices by Guy Hollaway Architects feature a tubular steel slide

UK-based Guy Hollaway Architects has become the latest firm to install a slide inside an office building with this renovation for online events guide View London (+ slideshow).

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

Guy Hollaway Architects overhauled a former nightclub in Kent, England, to create the office block and installed the slide between View London's two floors at the top of the building.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

Made from stainless steel, the tubular slide slots comfortably between the two levels and is big enough to fit just one person at a time.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

Guy Hollaway told Dezeen the slide was his client's suggestion. "The client is very forward thinking and wanted to create a relaxed, fun working environment," he said.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The architects also renovated the other three floors of the building. The ground floor, referred to as the Factory Room, functions as an incubator for new businesses starting up, while the remaining levels accommodate flexible office spaces and meeting rooms.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The building's historic facade was retained and painted black, contrasting with a new undulating glass wall that sits alongside.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

"Whilst the building has a traditional facade, the client wanted people to know that behind it is a modern working building. The surrounding glass gives these clues," Hollaway explained.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

"The undulating glass creates a further contrasting facade and allowed us to set the glazing behind the historical facade, this making it look like it is floating off the front," he added.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The fourth floor, which was added during the renovation, is set back from the facade, creating a south-facing balcony looking out towards the sea.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

Here's a project description from Guy Hollaway Architects:


The Workshop

The concept behind 'The Workshop' is to provide a flexible workspace with a lively working environment. The upper floors are connected by an industrial slide which provides quick circulation between the floors. These floors are occupied by View London, Londoner's guide to London. The other floors provide flexible office space and meeting rooms.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The ground 'Factory Floor', is an incubator space, where space can be rented by fledgling businesses, providing aid to local economy, adding to Folkstone's Creative Quarter.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The former night-club now houses five floors of flexible office space and commercial space on the ground floor called 'the Factory Floor'. The new design retains the historic façade as it was key for planners to maintain the existing facade within the conversation area. However, it was also important for the client to create a new building statement hence the boldness of the black facade.

The Workshop offices by Guy Hollaway Architects feature a tubular steel slide

The design was complex to build, with the facade having to be suspended during construction to insert the surrounding contemporary glass facade whose curving undulations feed into the historical original facade, where old meets new. This organic glazed element elegantly filters light into the internal office spaces.

The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway

The design features an additional upper floor, which is set back from the existing facade line. This creates a south facing external balcony space, which uses the existing façade as a balustrade giving a view over the town and towards the English Channel.

Ground floor plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Ground floor plan - click for larger image
First floor plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
First floor plan - click for larger image
Second floor plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Second floor plan - click for larger image
Third floor plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Third floor plan - click for larger image
Fourth floor plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Fourth floor plan - click for larger image
Roof plan of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Roof plan - click for larger image
Section of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Section - click for larger image
Street elevation of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Street elevation - click for larger image
Rear elevation of The Workshop offices with a slide through the centre by Guy Holloway
Rear elevation - click for larger image