Publicly owned arts organisation V22 approached us to design the internal fit-out of a co-working space in Shoreditch, London. The space is situated in an office building in Shoreditch, owned by Low Carbon Workplace, a partnership between the Carbon Trust, fund manager Columbia Threadneedle Investments and property developer Stanhope. Through the Low Carbon Workplace Fund, the partnership acquires commercial office buildings, refurbishing them to provide modern, energy efficient workplaces. Occupiers benefit from ongoing support from the Carbon Trust, helping them to lower their energy costs and carbon emissions.

V22’s aim was to reduce the project’s environmental impact, as well as minimise the cost of the fit-out so as to be able to offer work space to start-ups in the creative industries at well below the typical market rate for such spaces in Shoreditch. This aim influenced every design decision on the project.

Fixed furniture and desks were custom designed and constructed out of MDF boards left over from an exhibition that had been donated to V22. We worked closely with V22 on the design of the furniture, and went through several iterations of assembling prototypes, tweaking designs and discussing potential changes. We enjoyed working in a very hands-on way, in constant communication with everyone involved, as equal partners in a process that sought to arrive at the most elegant and appropriate design solution.

V22 Shoreditch opened its doors in May 2017, offering permanent desk spaces, ‘hot desk’ memberships and shared seminar and meeting spaces.

'It has been an absolute pleasure working with ehk! (now Citizen Architects). They entered into our project with enthusiasm and gusto and went beyond their brief with some excellent ideas and solutions for small but important details and problems.

They work well as a team and so you never feel that you are being passed onto someone less qualified and their range of expertise and knowledge is impressive. We hope to continue working with them on further projects and can recommend them wholeheartedly .'

Tara Cranswick, director, V22 (July 2016)

Project carried out under the name engelhadleykirk limited (ehk!)