Location: London, United Kingdom.

Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris.

The development at 1-5 Benjamin Street is a modern take on a Victorian brick warehouse, designed to withstand the test of time. Situated on an L-shaped corner plot in the Clerkenwell Conservation Area, next to the new Crossrail hub at Farringdon Station, the mixed-use building replaces three outdated structures with a five-storey complex featuring retail space on the ground floor, open-plan offices on three levels, and penthouse apartments on the roof. The building’s two main facades respond to different conditions: the Benjamin Street side is symmetrical and faces St John’s Gardens, while the Turnmill Street side has a vertical emphasis that reflects the grain of the neighboring buildings and the public nature of the street. Both facades are made of brick, with patterned concrete panels, lintel, and cill details. The development preserves Faulkner’s Alley, a historically significant area, and enhances it with a small landscaped open space that adds to the urban fabric and is visible from Benjamin Street through a mostly glazed office reception.

Photo credit: Timothy Soar.