Based on the ground floor of a Grade II listed building, the Studio Nicholson headquarters occupy a former coroner’s court in the heart of east London. The premises at 5 Calvert Avenue were built during the late 1890s, as part of the renowned Boundary estate – which is credited as being one of the world’s first social housing schemes.
With streets designed to radiate from the central bandstand at Arnold Circus, it was finally completed in 1901, and all tenement blocks and accompanying shops are now classed as a conservation area.
The studio is flooded with sunlight throughout the day, thanks to such huge windows on the exterior side, and an impressive glazed brick arch on the internal wall – with views onto the communal courtyard, which is still in use today. As the Victorian era was drawing to a close, the overly elaborate, ornate detailing was being paired down, with the Edwardians adopting more of a clean, minimal approach. The building epitomises this style of transitional architecture, and we’ve been sensitive to the history of the space, by keeping some walls authentically un-plastered, with whitewashed brick and exposed pipework. The industrial features are complemented with the warmth of parquet flooring and the addition of carefully considered greenery, which we buy from our friends at Wright & Doyle.
To create our collections, we work best in clean, calm and vibrant spaces. The beauty of this place, is how it allows for so much activity – whether that’s the fitting of a toile in one corner, or the planning of a future season in another. By retaining order and organisation, we’ve created a space to work harmoniously and produce the best possible results – rather like the estate around us, which is often quoted as being a model example of how to do things properly.