London Warehouse Refurbishment
London | Commercial | 2024
The Conservatoire is a music hub located within a historic East London warehouse complex in Bromley-by-Bow. Designed for emerging musicians studying at UK-based higher education music academies, this project aimed to create a diverse range of performance spaces that challenge the traditional representation of classical music. By offering Traditional, Fluid and Contemporary performance spaces, the design breaks free from the conventional approach, allowing a variety of musical performances to thrive without the venue imposing a specific identity or style on the music showcased.
The project began with a deep understanding of the purpose behind the space: to provide a dynamic environment for the next generation of musicians. The goal was to create performance spaces that could accommodate different genres of music while offering flexibility in how the music could be presented. Three distinct spaces - Traditional, Fluid and Contemporary - were designed to meet the diverse needs of the performers and audiences.
Each space was carefully designed to enhance the acoustics and atmosphere of its respective genre. The Traditional performance space features a classical, refined aesthetic, providing a formal setting ideal for classical music. The Fluid space is adaptable, with movable walls and flexible acoustics, allowing it to accommodate a wide range of performances, from more traditional to contemporary genres. The Contemporary performance space is more open to interpretation, offering a versatile setting that is perfect for modern and experimental performances.
One of the main challenges was ensuring that each space had its own unique character while maintaining a cohesive design throughout. To achieve this, we selected materials and finishes that complemented the identity of each space, preserving the industrial charm of the existing warehouse while integrating new elements that suited the specific needs of each performance style.
Additionally, the project’s location in a historic building posed challenges related to preserving the original structure while incorporating modern updates. We addressed this by applying reuse principles, retaining as much of the original warehouse as possible while integrating new design elements that enhanced the functionality of the space.
The final design resulted in a flexible, vibrant music hub that offers students and musicians a wide range of performance opportunities. By breaking down the traditional boundaries between genres and performance styles, The Conservatoire fosters an environment where creativity can flourish, free from preconceived notions of what music should look or sound like.
This project was part of my Master’s thesis at the Royal College of Art’s Interior Design program.
The Fluid Performance area is all about adaptability in architecture and space. Blending elements of both traditional and contemporary performance requirements, it is designed to transform effortlessly. Movable partitions, acoustic panelling and versatile seating allow the space to shift from an intimate, enclosed setting to an open, unconventional layout that challenges the norms of performance venues. With the partitions closed, the room takes on a more classic, formal feel. However, when opened, it becomes an expansive stage for contemporary or experimental work. Limestone acoustic panels line the walls, while the partitions are clad in rustic metallic panels and the seating is crafted from reclaimed bricks -materials chosen for both their tactile quality and sustainable ethos. This flexibility reflects the essence of modern performance, where form follows experience rather than tradition.
By contrast, the Traditional Performance room embodies restrained elegance. Rich heritage dark timber acoustic panels and rhythmic chandelier-style lighting create a formal atmosphere, perfectly suited for classical music. The space follows a conventional performance layout, with proportions, acoustics and décor that pay homage to historic concert halls. At the far end of the stage, a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling window frames views of the nearby Bow Canal, bringing a subtle connection to nature.
The water element plays a crucial role across all three performance spaces - here, it is admired from behind glass, in the Contemporary space, it flows directly onto the stage as part of the design, and in the Fluid Performance space, it can either be a distant backdrop when the partition is closed or an immersive presence when the partition is opened.
The Contemporary Performance zone is designed to push the boundaries of what a performance space can be. It’s not limited to classical concerts - it can host experimental works, interdisciplinary events, archival music screenings or performances that blur the line between art forms. This space invites the question: what even is a musical performance?
Materially, it embraces rawness and reinvention, with exposed reclaimed brick and industrial concrete creating a deliberately unfinished aesthetic. These rough, unconventional finishes frame performances in an open-ended, adaptable environment, where the architecture itself becomes part of the artistic experience. Minimalist acoustic treatments and flexible layouts support avant-garde, improvisational and modern performance styles.
The Contemporary Performance area can be physically connected to the Fluid Performance space when the movable partition is opened, creating one expansive venue. At its far end sits the music archive, complete with flexible tiered stair seating. This archive space can also open into the main performance zone, further expanding the possibilities for staging and audience engagement.
The material palette of the Traditional Performance space is rooted in warmth, heritage and sophistication. Inspired by the understated elegance of historic music venues, the scheme combines smoked oak acoustic panels with wool-rich upholstered seating, creating a tactile environment that feels both distinguished and inviting. These durable, timeless finishes were chosen not only for their refined aesthetic but also for their acoustic qualities, enhancing sound resonance while preserving the room’s sense of enduring character.
The material palette of the Fluid Performance space is designed for adaptability, balancing traditional character with contemporary edge. Rustic steel acoustic shell panels - used across the ceiling and the movable partition - pair with an exposed limestone feature wall to create a raw, versatile backdrop. Underfoot, polished concrete flooring grounds the space in an industrial yet refined aesthetic. Every element is chosen to respond to the needs of the performance, allowing the activity on stage to define the atmosphere rather than the architecture imposing fixed boundaries.
The Entry Hall acts as an atmospheric threshold, guiding visitors from the urban exterior into the performance spaces beyond. Raw masonry walls retain the building’s industrial past, while softly integrated lighting creates a warm, anticipatory mood.
A newly installed rustic metal staircase leads directly into the Traditional Performance space, its robust presence contrasting with the refined interiors above. This intervention exemplifies the “insertion” method in adaptive reuse - where a new structural element is carefully placed within an existing shell, allowing old and new to coexist while supporting the building’s transformed purpose.
From the street, the entrance to the Conservatoire blends the original warehouse façade with a newly added rustic metal canopy. This subtle yet purposeful intervention provides both shelter from rain and a clear point of welcome, signalling the building’s renewed life as a cultural space. The canopy’s industrial materiality echoes the site’s history, while its clean geometry hints at the contemporary functions within.
By projecting outward, it draws the eye and creates a moment of pause before entry - allowing visitors to transition from the surrounding urban environment into a place dedicated to performance and creativity. At night, soft integrated lighting along the canopy transforms it into a warm beacon, further reinforcing its role as both a practical shelter and a symbolic threshold.
Inside the entrance, layers of texture - exposed brick, monolithic concrete and the continuation of the rustic metal canopy from outside - create a striking sensory welcome. The canopy visually guides visitors toward each performance space, while integrated lighting draws attention to the interplay of old and new materials. Flexible seating and bar areas invites both informal gatherings and quiet moments of pause, seamlessly preparing guests for the musical experiences ahead.