Omnibus | multi-let workspace

Entrance, reception and meeting spaces designed for a mix of creative industries sharing a north London converted bus shed

Omnibus workspace

Omnibus
Islington N1

Planning | Detail | Joinery design | Services co-ordination | Furniture | Site supervision

Part of a new wave of alternative workspaces with a range of unit types and flexible terms, Omnibus is home to a community of designers, makers, tech start-ups and associated businesses and a very busy place.

Our brief: reorganise the entrance and back-of-house to deal with the logistics of many people coming and going, their visitors and deliveries, and to make better use of ancillary spaces for informal gathering. All within a tight plan and budget, to be achieved with minimal disruption to the day-to-day life of the building.

Reception and meeting rooms now have custom-made, multi-function furniture to divide space and provide storage; so often this is the best way to resolve overlapping demands and while it might appear to be an expensive approach the result – something that really works rather than a compromise – has long-term, cost-effective benefits. Aside from the practicalities the public-facing spaces have new finishes and lighting, and a bold graphic identity referencing the original use of the site as a London bus garage.

Photography Jonathan Pile