Studio RHE

Atrium

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

ATRIUM

Studio Rhe

ARCHITECTS
Studio Rhe

PHOTOGRAPHS
Bjarte Rettedal

YEAR
2010

LOCATION
London, United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Store

Text description provided by architect.

For the last twenty years, Atrium has been located in the base of the Centrepoint tower, the iconic building that once held the title of the tallest building in London.

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

Recently Atrium has made a professional move away from modern furniture supply to selling the finest lighting products – a move that needed both explanation and celebration.

This then led to a design Brief that required an interactive open space, with a central reception area that could very easily be converted into a darkened showroom.

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

Studio RHE reacted to the Brief by designing a carefully choreographed intertwined space which utilizes a series of rotating, interlocking, hinged, jig‐sawed wall panels that transform the bright day‐lit space to a darkened showroom with a simple twist.

These rotating walls allow natural light to be played with throughout the day as well as adding an ever changing frontage to the streetscape of St. Giles Circus.

This theatrical transformation will let Atrium demonstrate their range of ‘Soft Architecture’ lighting by FLOS.

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

Studio RHE has emphasized this by arranging a rich mix of tactile materials from high gloss resin to reclaimed Yara timber sleepers.

This has been done whilst keeping to a simple palette of predominantly a clean white, accentuated by a bright acid green used throughout the edges as a luminous highlight.

Finally a darkened inner sanctum meeting space has been created with colour change lighting control wheels and integrally plastered fittings within the walls.

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

These complete the showroom experience before returning to the beautifully fitted central kinetic bar at the heart of the space.

The design direction is continued through the entire space to the Offices above where desks are arranged along a diagonal show wall with integrated screens and net surfing booths that look out over the double height showroom and plaza.

Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal

The works started in January 2011 with Completion in June 2011 and an opening party in mid‐ July.


Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal


Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal
Atrium
© Bjarte Rettedal


Atrium
Details
Atrium
Details
Atrium
Detail
Atrium
Sketch


Atrium
Plans
Atrium
Plan

Studio RHE
T +44 207 2535358
Studio RHE
4, Green Mews, Bevenden St, London N1 6AS, United Kingdom