Office Building in London

On a narrow, dead-end lane around the corner from Oxford Street it suddenly becomes quiet. Not much light filters down to street level. In this slightly forgotten setting not atypical of London, the client set out to build an out-of-the ordinary building. Standing six storeys high, it impressively makes its presence known, bracketed by hefty neighbours from previous eras. When the sky is overcast, it appears to be part of the firmament, and when the sun shines, the aluminium skin shimmers. At night, the three large, eye-like openings in the facade pour light back into the street space. The interior effect is particularly astonishing: the fenestration seems gigantic and the street is no longer perceived as confining.