Perseverance Works
A new era for Marketing and PR firm Axe & Saw in their new office within the Perseverance Works development in Shoreditch. Through discussions with the client, we set out by leaning into the history of the existing Victorian industrial building as the starting point for the design direction within the unit. The architecture: high ceilings, large multi-pane windows, exposed brickwork and original timber floors - this provided a strong base to respond to rather than attempt to override.
Due to the lease terms, and being within a commercial development - executing a full refurbishment wasn’t the right approach here. The works were a light-touch intervention that enhanced what is already there, retaining the rawness of the space while introducing warmth, comfort and clarity through a considered layer of materials, furniture and lighting.
A restrained but rich material direction, introducing aged woods, leather, soft textiles, lacquered surfaces and patinated metals. This palette is intended to sit comfortably within the industrial shell whilst also responding to the building’s heritage, referencing its origins of textile production and light industry labour in a subtle and material-led way.
Lighting plays a key role in shaping atmospheres, with a layered approach that moves away from uniform and often cold office brightness towards a warmer, more flexible scheme of ambient, task and decorative lighting additions.
The studio design draws on hospitality-led interiors and contemporary creative workspaces, where the boundaries between working, meeting and socialising are fluid. Through furniture selections with adaptability in mind, supporting a range of uses across the day; we created opportunity for focused work and presentations to informal meetings and social gatherings.
Overall the brief was met , becoming a studio that feels considered but adaptable, grounded in its industrial context, elevated through materiality, and responsive to the evolving ways Axe & Saw continue to work and host in their new look HQ office.
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you. The office looks so amazing and the whole team has been so excited to come back into the space. It finally feels like us, and you’ve managed to make it feel polished and grown-up while still keeping all the colour, warmth and personality we wanted.”
Company Founder, AXE & SAW
