Michon Design

Allan Joyce Architects helped us with our very first office renovation project back in 1988. This building served our business very well for 20 years – far longer than we expected it would, but finally we outgrew the space. So we thought we’d do it all again. AJA maximised the potential of the building, adding additional floor space with a mezzanine that cleverly helped us enhance the open aspect of the original building and its original features. Seven years on it’s still a great place to work, it’s admired and envied by many visitors, but more importantly; it’s helped our business on so many levels, including better staff morale, internal communication, and being a ‘shop window’ that’s helped elevate our profile and creative design services.

Michon Design

The Design Proposal

The proposals were designed to compliment the existing old school hall, built in 1870, which has been a constant feature in the community for over 100 years. The building became vacant when St. Mary's Church applied for planning for a new church hall across the road, which we also designed. Both Allan Joyce Architects and Michon Creative were keen to refurbish and celebrate the original features of the building in its redesign and reuse.

The Finished Scheme

We used a series of techniques, including hand sketches and 3D visualisations, to describe how the existing building would be refurbished to answer the client's brief. The design is largely open plan, taking full advantage of the double height spaces within the old school hall and incorporating a number of contemporary insertions to contrast with the historic core.

A new projecting bay, clad in oak, highlights the entrance to the building and heals over scars to the existing building caused by removal of old external steel staircase. Reception is located at ground floor level, which leads through to an open plan office and studio space. Meeting rooms and an informal meeting lounge are situated on a mezzanine floor, cut at an angle to create a dynamic space which overlooks the reception and studio. Internally materials were chosen to contrast with the historic fabric of the old school hall and reflect the aspirations of the creative business it is housing.