As the residential/workshop component of a larger commercial development, Sweeps is integral to the Johnson Building project: an urban quarter in miniature with a coherent mix of uses. Named after its original use as a bullion refinery that extracted precious metals from the floor sweepings of nearby jewellery manufacturers, the reinvented building is now home to 14 uniquely-planned apartments, an office and jewellery workshop spaces within the triple-height ground and basement floors. The existing Wallis Gilbert façade and the internal heroic structure are retained to allow the subtle exploitation of the industrial scale and character, creating light-filled, high-ceilinged spaces that are complemented by a simple palette of monochrome finishes combined with oak. Outside, two new entrances – one off Leather Lane and the other via a private courtyard garden – serve the arrival of different occupants, while rear balconies and large roof terraces augment the interior spaces.
2006
Location
Holborn, London
Client
Derwent London plc
