Illustrious design solution for giants of the bar

Every building tells a story. For Brick Court chambers on Essex street, Temple, that story was a building that needed a sensitive re fit and some dedicated TLC to key areas so that it could be fit for another 10 years.

For this infamous chambers, home to a significant roll call of some of the giants of the bar including Lord Sumption, the need was for a new reception, client meeting suite and clerks office. Topped off with a new roof over the 5th floor.

As a chambers with a coveted history, the design and fit out needed to reflect upon that illustrious history whilst speaking to the past, present and future audience.

The project was split into phases, sequenced across the reception space, workspace, meeting suite and ancillary spaces.

The driver for change was a need to update not just the aesthetic but also the functionality and performance of each individual space. This included a full refresh of the mechanical and electrical services, resulting in a need to strip out each environment back to slab. The low floor to ceiling heights necessitated a highly integrated design and services solution, particularly as the demands of new regulations meant increased capacity for air flows. It waas literally a pint in a quart pot.

The result has been a substantial shift toward an environment that fits and sits within the chambers’ future vision, a space that is more capable, more comfortable and functionally intuitive. This design and outcome was sensitively managed via a series of workshops with the lead barristers.

A series of products and finishes were sought and specified to create a unique, memorable experience. This included products from Morgan Furniture, a bespoke, British contemporary manufacturer with a very modern interpratation of the coffee machine, supplied by Uk manufacturer Scanomat, where the machinery is hidden and the coffee is ordered via an ipad or mobile device.