Fathom Architects

For the 2024 Gingerbread City, Crumbs and Craters re-imagines the Woking town centre landmark of Christ Church through the lens of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds.

In the novel, Woking is battered by heat-ray guns deployed by Martian tripods and the town centre is largely destroyed.

In the aftermath, we present the resilience and ingenuity of community in adapting what remains of the structural frame and re-purposing rubble (biscuit crumbs) to rebuild the church with renewed relevance to the town’s people.

With a brief of “The Recycled City”, this year’s sweet cityscape is focused on re-use of land, buildings & materials – open until 29 December. Thanks to Luke O’Donovan for the great photo.

For the past five years, we’ve been reimagining one of the largest heritage workspaces in Clerkenwell at over 70,000sqft.

Originally four separate buildings, we were tasked by client BGO to secure the building’s future by creating a single workspace with distinct character.

Along with a collaborative client and design team, Fathom has reimagined the warehouses to reduce carbon, extend workspace area by 9,900sqft, enhance tenant experience and evolve a new contemporary identity which celebrates its industrial heritage.

See more on the project here.

This week we revealed a fresh new canvas for Fathom as we prepare to say farewell to our Victorian schoolhouse studio in Bermondsey – our home for almost 7 years – for a more generous space.

While the new studio is just around the corner, the upcoming move will enable us to continue growing our team, as well as host more clients, collaborators and friends for events and workshops.

We’re very excited to be taking part in the 2024 Gingerbread City!

With a brief of “The Recycled City”, this year’s sweet cityscape is focused on re-use of land, buildings & materials.

As specialists in the retrofit of all scales of buildings – particularly in heritage settings – we’re currently hatching plans to highlight how imaginative re-use can revive urban spaces for communities.

We’re very pleased to have completed a workspace refurbishment over six floors at 22 Ganton Street – a 1920s building in a fantastic location just off Carnaby Street, Soho.

The project forms the latest part of Fathom’s work with Shaftesbury Capital, upgrading their existing West End workspace to elevate identity and enhance amenity space for customers.

We have rationalised two existing workplace floors and reconfigured all common areas – repurposing existing elements as much as possible to minimise waste and cost.

See more about the project here.

Our social workspaces for Related Argent at 2 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, were featured in Hospitality Snapshots and Building Design this month.

The retrofit sought to reimagine user experience, enhance wellbeing and increase connectivity across the workplace floors by creating more inviting spaces for people to come together across three common areas.

Read the full articles on the links above, or explore more about the project here.

As our team continues to grow, we’re very happy to welcome Yiping Zhu to Fathom.

Yiping brings 10 years’ experience in major developments, heritage sites and environmental design, as well as a keen interiors eye. A dab hand on Revit, she also loves to create hand sketches and watercolours to communicate design.

Outside of practice, Yiping has mentored young people through the RIBA Future Architects programme and guest lectured at The Architectural Association.

See more about our lovely people here.

Landsec has appointed Fathom to develop a workspace interior design scheme, the final phase of their prestigious Nova development in Victoria.

We’re establishing a distinct identity across reception, end of trip facilities and seven self-contained workplace floors, creating a plug-and-play offer to suit a broad range of occupiers.

We’re excited to begin a comprehensive review of Bedford School’s 50-acre heritage estate.

Founded in 1552, the independent boy’s school has maintained an ambitious vision for the estate throughout its history.

Our strategic feasibility study will identify potential upgrades and new additions to enhance student experience and optimise learning environments.

Justin contributed to the RIBA Journal’s ‘Postcard From’ series with musings from his family’s summer trip to the Swiss Alps.

Feeling in awe of nature’s immense scale and respectful of the ingenuity of local people who have lived and built there over centuries, Justin’s postcard is a homage to designing very specifically for context.

Take a look here.

A 2024 trend forecast by Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson delved into shifting customer expectations of office function and aesthetics.

Amy highlighted our 6 Babmaes Street project for The Crown Estate as an example of a diverse workspace which prioritises social interaction and wellbeing over desk-based activity.

Read the full report here.

Thanks so much to Frances Williams at The Architects’ Journal for today’s First Look feature on 2 Pancras Square, where we’ve elevated workspace identity & customer experience for Related Argent on behalf of King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership.

Read the full article here or head to our website project here.

Our team has completed a series of upgrades to invigorate existing communal spaces over three floors within a ten-year old workspace at 2 Pancras Square.

The brief from Related Argent – on behalf of King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership – was to enhance the building’s character and improve workspace experience by creating a more enjoyable series of amenity spaces for people to prioritise health, wellbeing and sociability.

Last week the Narrative Practice Sessions mentoring initiative was successfully hosted at Fathom Architects.

We opened up our space to host 16 young people from underrepresented groups as part of their monthly programme. It was a great pleasure to host an evening of discussion around the students’ aims and objectives, and great to hear such positive feedback from the attendees afterwards.

Huge thanks to Dhruv and the Narrative Practice team for co-ordinating such a fantastic event.

Thank you to everyone who came along to Fathom’s Studio Late for London Festival of Architecture!

Our doors were open and we had our team on hand to offer advice for budding architects, talk visitors through project designs, let them loose on our VR headset and show the 3D printer in action.

Despite the England Euros match and a sunny evening, we were busy with portfolio reviews and studio tours throughout the evening – it was wonderful to meet you all!

Last week the Fathom team enjoyed a day away from our screens at Kew Gardens. The Hive made a great spot for a Fathom team photo on our day out of the studio last week. We missed you Harry, Hui Ping and Laura!

A welcome dose of fresh air and greenery, we explored the extraordinary plants, trees, greenhouses, sculptures, Treetop Walkway and Pagoda before relaxing over food and drinks by the river.

Thanks to all our wonderful team for their dedication, and special shoutout to our Practice Manager Jo for organising the day.

Director Jonathan Mitchell contributed to Building Design with a comment on how architects’ unique skills can help charities unlock social and commercial value through strategic thinking, innovative design and tapping into our industry networks.

Thanks Ben Flatman for the opportunity to share Fathom’s approach and our work with Southwark Charities and The Walcot Foundation.

Read the full article here.

Planning news! Our upgrades to Queensberry House on Old Burlington Street have been granted consent by Westminster City Council.

Works to the 22,700sqm mixed use building include a new ground floor facade, reconfigured entrance, cycle facilities and external amenity space, all falling within the Higher Risk Building’s category of the Building Safety Act.

Related Argent have announced they are welcoming Japanese retailer Uniqlo to Coal Drops Yard this summer, the most significant retail deal in the Yard since its launch in 2018.

As part of Fathom’s wider role in evolving the retail offer at Coal Drops Yard, we have been supporting Related Argent to welcome Uniqlo to the heritage setting.

Working closely with Uniqlo in a client monitoring role, we’ve ensured that the 12,000 sqft unit over three floors has been sensitively adapted within a listed structure to accommodate high footfall and offer an enjoyable shopping experience.

We’re excited to announce that Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has joined our growing number of Estate clients.

Fathom is supporting the asset and development teams to identify opportunities to repurpose peripheral spaces around Westfield London in line with the sustainable principles of URW’s Better Places strategy.

New London Architecture has released its 10th Tall Buildings Survey – London’s Growing Up – and we’re very pleased to have our award-winning Blackfriars development in Southwark included.

Fathom’s consented designs illustrate a shift towards tall buildings that combine a mix of multi-generational uses and are generous to their local community.

Blackfriars Road is a charity-led development comprising 62 almshouses, 22,500sqm of flexible workspace, community spaces and public landscaped gardens.

For more on the project, visit our project page here.

In another recent appointment, Fathom has been commissioned by a Hong Kong based charity to work with Capital Real Estate Partners on an existing 1950s residential building in Mayfair.

We’re developing comprehensive retrofit proposals to give the building a new lease of life, adding value by increasing the number of homes and improving environmental performance.

We’re extremely excited to be part of the London Festival of Architecture in its 20th year!

We’ll be one of the practices opening their doors on 20 June for LFA Studio Lates’ Southbank and London Bridge focus.

We love to meet anyone with a passion for architecture, so please drop in to our Bermondsey studio to say hello, explore one of our designs on a VR headset or see our 3D printer in action.

For budding architects we’ll be offering free 15-minute portfolio reviews. Find all the details and portfolio review sign up (required) here.

This month we welcomed two experienced architects – Katie and Joanna – to Fathom.

Katie earned two first class degrees and brings experience in heritage, culture and residential sectors as well a specialism for complex additions to buildings in sensitive locations.

Joanna is an experienced architect with a passion for problem solving and working with complex urban sites, and adds a comprehensive knowledge of Revit and BIM processes to the studio.

We’re very excited to add Katie and Joanna to our growing team.

We’re incredibly excited to share that Fathom Architects will be collaborating with the Sessions mentoring initiative run by Narrative Practice on 10th July 2024.

Booking link via Eventbrite will be shared closer to the time.

Alongside the one-to-one mentoring sessions, there will be a chance to meet other like minded people, learn about our recent and in-progress work, and explore innovative tools we use in practice.

At a time when life science retrofit projects outweigh new purpose-built, we were invited to contribute to a roundtable on adaptive reuse in the sector, kindly hosted by Heyne Tillett Steel and chaired by Estates Gazette.

Director Rebecca Thomas added her experience to the conversation on challenges and opportunities in developing resilient and flexible assets in a fast-moving sector.

You can read Evelina Grecenko’s write up here

2 Swallow Place is the latest project to complete in our strategic work with The Crown Estate to rejuvenate existing assets.

We developed a concept and CAT B fitout to revive the tired workspace and offer a series of more welcoming and collaborative spaces. Aimed at creative and media industries, our designs included flexible workspace layouts allowing for focused desk work, formal meetings and relaxed gatherings.

Subtle separation of spaces, with options for fixed and moveable furniture, ensure the workspaces are easily adapted as occupier requirements change.

Our concepts for The Crown Estate were evolved and delivered by Zero Workspace. See more on the project here.

Fathom’s Jack Parmar shared a personal response for Bath University’s Paperspace 21th issue, with a theme of #Spectres.

Jack linked his experiences of the Uttarayan festival – celebrating nature’s rejuvenation for Gujarat farmers – when the streets of Ahmedabad are temporarily transformed into a hive of activity for kite making, with his role in reimagining a series of heritage warehouses in Farringdon.

He shares how committing to creating adaptable cities and spaces and listening to the spirits of the past are key to ensuring narratives aren’t erased and buildings can have second, third and fourth lives.

Thank you Jesper, Antar and all the team behind Paperspace who create such an interesting dialogue to be part of.

Huge congratulations to Connie for qualifying as an architect this month!

Part of the Fathom team since 2021, Connie has played a key role on projects from Conservation Area infill sites to heritage retrofits.

Currently she’s leading our workspace improvements for Argent at 2 Pancras Square, establishing a distinctive identity for the building and creating a more enjoyable series of spaces for customers including 700 sqm of added roof terrace.

Well done Connie and congratulations to all freshly qualified architects.

Back in 2017, Fathom’s first built project was The Pod, a bespoke mobile podcasting studio for White City Place as part of DNCO’s placemaking brand strategy for the emerging creative district.

The Pod was widely published, made an appearance at the V&A during London Design Festival and won Best Creative Element at the Performance Marketing Awards.

Seven years later we’re incredibly happy to hear that The Pod has a new home and purpose at The Small Quarter, a community garden in South London dedicated to helping individuals with their mental health through growing food and getting involved in art and making activities.

Providing a welcoming indoor space within the garden, The Pod will help The Small Quarter continue supporting their local community.

This month we welcomed Sana and Ceren to Fathom.

Sana is a freelance Part II, balancing her time in architecture alongside running to.scale, the platform she founded to support architecture students through university whilst prioritising wellbeing and productivity.

Ceren joins us as a Part I student on a 6-month placement from Bath University. A star student in her native Cyprus and a former member of the European Youth Parliament, Ceren came to the UK to study architecture and gain experience in practice.

We’re very pleased to add Sana and Ceren’s talents to the Fathom studio.

We’re proud to have become an accredited Living Wage Employer – one of over 320 Southwark based companies signed up.

As employers of future architects at early stages of their development and a number of support staff, paying the London Living Wage sets an important benchmark of fair pay for a day’s work.

Architecture is always a collaborative effort, so we’re pleased to demonstrate our commitment to acknowledging the contribution of everyone.

We hosted a stand at a local Southwark secondary school careers fair today, sharing various routes available to students interested in the built environment. As we strive to make architecture a more inclusive profession, it’s important to step outside of the industry to engage young people early.

Our VR goggles (we had a queue!) and 3D printed models helped spark conversations about architecture, space and different ways of modelling.

GCSE and A level choices can support journeys into architecture, so early knowledge of potential routes is key. It was great to meet the students and hopefully encourage a few to consider careers in the built environment.

Justin joined Architecture Social to talk about landing your dream job.

Bringing his perspective as an experienced educator, mentor and employer to outline key aspects you should be thinking about when looking for your next move, Justin spoke about values, culture and clients and offered insider info on what studios are really impressed by in interviews.

Host with the most Stephen Drew described Justin’s advice as “gold dust for anyone looking to carve out a successful path in architecture”.

If you’re looking for your next role and wondering where to start, have a listen here.

We’re very pleased to have Rebecca join The Pineapples judging panel for The Developer.

Fathom are longstanding supporters of these awards and The Festival of Place, created to celebrate the best placemaking initiatives delivering a positive social, environmental and economic impact.

Find out more about The Pineapples and fellow judges here.

With the main structure topped out and the new 5th/6th floors teeming with trades, one of the last big structural interventions at The Waterman has been opening up the ground floor – activating the heritage streetscape and creating an impression on arrival.

In the last few weeks, we’ve created four large-scale openings to establish a series of interconnected spaces which will house the reception and Alfred’s Club, a 3,660sqft amenity for building occupiers including co-working, lounges, meeting rooms and a bar.

It’s over and out from (almost all) the Fathom team – a big THANK YOU for being such a wonderful bunch.

We’ve ended 2023 on a high with two award wins, two planning consents and more exciting project news which we look forward to sharing in the new year.

Before we head off, we’d like to wish all our clients, collaborators and friends a very happy and restful holiday!

We’re pleased to announce that Director Rebecca Thomas has joined The Westminster Society as a Design Review Panel member.

Rebecca will offer her expertise to support the Society’s aims of enhancing and conserving the City of Westminster by encouraging design excellence for new and refurbished buildings being developed in the borough.

See more about The Westminster Society here.

Excellent news for Fathom and development managers Morgan Capital as we got the go ahead for LOMA last night – an ambitious 6,300sqm workspace retrofit on Lower Marsh in Waterloo.

Transforming a 1990s building identified as having a negative impact on the Lower Marsh Conservation Area, our scheme re-imagines the structure to create a sustainable and characterful workspace offering best in class amenities for local businesses.

The news featured in The Architects’ Journal, React and BE News.

See more on the project here.

We were blown away to win UK Workplace of the Year at the FX Awards last night for 6 Babmaes Street – our second award win of the month!

Thank you to The Crown Estate for their innovative brief and trusting us to deliver something unique in a fast-changing market; our team who put love and care into every detail; and the FX judges for seeing the value of meaningful human interaction in the workplace.

Conceived and delivered ahead of the pandemic, our imaginative retrofit transformed a redundant 1970s building into an appealing social and collaborative communal space for The Crown Estate’s office customers in St James’s, and had a positive impact on lettings in the area. See more on the project here

This week we’re kicking off on site at 2 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, where we’re re-imagining amenity areas within the workspace to prioritise health, wellbeing and sociability for client Argent.

This rooftop render highlights ways we’re encouraging people away from office floors to connect with nature, by providing a generous outdoor space supporting a variety of activities.

Subtly zoned with furniture and finishes, layouts consider different ways people may want to spend time away from their desks including quiet space for reading or focus time, social areas for lunchtime chats and larger meetings or open space providing an opportunity to exercise their mind and body.

We were truly bowled over to win in the Housing category at the NLA Awards!

Our Blackfriars Almshouses scheme was awarded alongside two other innovative models of providing homes for Londoners, Citizens House by Archio and Spruce House by ao-ft.

Thank you to our client, Southwark Charities, for trusting us to think outside the box as to what an almshouse community could and should be, supporting independent living in a connected and sustainable development.

See more about the project here.

We’re very happy to have secured unanimous approval from Lambeth Council for a new infill development of nine homes in the Walcot Square Conservation Area for the Walcot Foundation, a charity that works to break cycles of financial deprivation in the borough.

Replacing a series of dilapidated garages on a constrained site, the consented scheme adds a contemporary brick building to the rich fabric of the Walcot Estate.

Find out more about our sustainable approach here – designed to achieve an 88% reduction on carbon emissions compared to Part L 2013.

Income from the new development will be used to extend The Walcot Foundation’s charitable work in Lambeth.

Director and Bath alumni, Justin Nicholls, responded to Paperspace Magazine’s 20th issue theme of Roots / Routes by challenging the homogenisation of places and calling for design which preserves identity and celebrates uniqueness.

Paperspace is created by students at University of Bath as an independent architecture and design publication with a variety of invited contributors.

Find Justin’s thoughts on page 40 of Paperspace issue 20 here.

We’re proud to be sponsors and contributors – thank you Jesper, Daria, Antar and all the team who create such an interesting dialogue to be part of.

Excellent news that Director Jonathan Mitchell has been selected by Design South East as a Design Review Panellist.

Adding his creative approach to the strategic planning and delivery of complex projects, we know Jonathan will be a fantastic asset to the network of leading experts.

Working with developers, local authorities and communities within two hours of London, the DSE Design Review Panel will deliver independent advice on plans, policies and projects.

This week we reached a huge milestone with topping out at The Waterman in Farringdon.

Director Rebecca, Associate Tom and Architect Jack joined the design team to sign the final steel beam and celebrate with bubbles on the rooftop!

Our complex re-imagination of these Victorian warehouses has given us wonderful opportunities to create a unique heritage workspace for BentallGreenOak. See more here.

We’re pleased to welcome two new people to the Fathom family – Hui Ping and Grisilda.

Hui Ping brings experience as an architectural designer, researcher and educator in the UK, Netherlands and Malaysia.

Grisilda joins us as an Architecture BSc graduate from University of Bath, where she’s been championing contextual design with a strong social conscience.

Welcome to the team!

Today we’re celebrating Jack qualifying as a fully-fledged architect!

Becoming an architect is a long but ultimately rewarding process – we’re so pleased for Jack and everyone qualifying this month.

We view education as an ongoing journey in the studio, supporting our team through formal education and continuing with regular Fathom Learns sessions on everything from running a business to being skilled communicators.

We’re over the moon to have achieved planning, listed building and advertising consent for the first phase of our work with Argent to elevate visitor experience in the heritage setting of Coal Drops Yard.

The enhancements aim to improve visibility of retail and aid pedestrian navigation through interventions with wayfinding, light and sound.

Our Practice Manager Jo hates being in the limelight but today we’re very pleased to be celebrating her promotion to Associate.

Providing invaluable support to the whole Fathom team, Jo ensures that our studio is a well organised, smooth running and inspiring place for our team, collaborators and clients.

Her enthusiasm and dedication to making Fathom somewhere everyone can thrive is truly appreciated. Thank you Jo!

Yesterday we were proud to be at the launch of NLA London’s Housing Innovation Research, featuring our housing for older Londoners in Southwark.

Spotlighting schemes addressing London’s housing challenge with affordable and sustainable models, our almshouse development for Southwark Charities creates a vertical community allowing older people facing hardship to live independently in a safe, supported environment.

Read more here

TWO shortlistings in the FX Awards is very exciting news indeed!

Our social workspace for The Crown Estate – 6 Babmaes Street – has been shortlisted in both the UK Workspace and UK Project of the Year categories.

Winners will be announced at the FX Awards dinner in November.

If you’d like to see how our imaginative retrofit of a disused 1970’s building has created a relaxed environment for events, collaboration, networking and wellbeing activities, take a look here .

We’re pleased to be underway with a CAT A refurbishment on Carnaby’s Ganton Street.

Applying our expertise in West End workspace, we’re reviving a 1920s building with minimal interventions for maximum impact on environment, amenity and experience for occupants.

We look forward to sharing more on this project soon.

Excitement this week as our almshouse development for Southwark Charities is shortlisted in the Housing category of the New London Awards 2023.

The Mayor of London’s report on Ageing London predicts that two million over 60s will be living in London by 2035, making older Londoners the fastest growing demographic in the capital.

Our consented development of 62 contemporary almshouses creates affordable homes in a safe and supported environment for local residents in need, enabled through an innovative mixed-use development providing 22,500sqm of workspace, community uses and 950sqm of public landscaped gardens.

The NLA Awards celebrate projects across London making a positive contribution to their surroundings, and it’s an impressive shortlist so we’re very pleased to be included.

Big news this week! We’re very excited that Justin has been announced as a member of Westminster City Council’s first ever Design Review Panel.

Along with 30 other expert panellists, Justin will offer independent advice on high quality, sustainable design across the City of Westminster and review major developments, planning, public realm and regeneration projects.

His appointment follows 20 years’ experience designing projects in Westminster, 15 years as a Westminster Society Trustee, 5 years as a Design Council Built Environment Expert and positions on Design Review Panels in Southwark, Design South East, Oxford and Brighton.

We’re searching for two talented people to join our studio in September: a creative architect with an innovative and collaborative approach to design and a Part I assistant to support our friendly teams.

Fathom offers a hybrid approach and are happy to discuss flexible working to support parents, academics and people who combine architecture with other commitments. We foster an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive, and host regular events to learn, grow and be inspired together.

As a studio actively involved in education and accessibility in architecture, we strongly encourage applications from diverse ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and people living with disabilities.

To apply for the architect position, take a look at the full listing at Dezeen Jobs

For the Part I role, please send your CV, portfolio and cover letter explaining why you’d like to work for Fathom Architects hello@fathomarchitects.com

Congratulations to Fathomite Freddie, who earlier this month was invited to present his Masters design project and thesis to students in Unit 3 of the Venice Biennale College – an exploratory programme dedicated to the practice of young people in architecture and artistic fields as part of La Biennale di Venezia.

His MA project – A-Myth-Onia – addressed humanity’s divorce from nature by learning from the ways of the indigenous tribes of the Amazonia, and was nominated for the Architects’ Journal Student Prize in the Sustainability category.

This week we shared some site updates from The Waterman, an ambitious workspace retrofit across 70,000sqft in a series of handsome Victorian warehouses on Farringdon Road for BentallGreenOak.

The design team is working hard to adopt circular economy principles by re-using every possible element of the existing building fabric.

See our Instagram and LinkedIn for statistics on carbon savings we’re making through collaboration with the client and design team.

It’s been work experience season for secondary school students, and we’ve been pleased to welcome four aspiring architects to Fathom over the past few months.

Our team love sharing what it means to be an architect and all the different things that shape our approach to creating places.

We aim to give a rounded view of the built environment – from concept design, sustainability and development viability to digital tools, planning, materials and construction.

Wishing all students a well-deserved summer break!

Exciting times as our reimagination of this 70,000sqft Victorian beauty in the heart of Farringdon launches as The Waterman!

We’ll be sharing activity from site in the coming weeks as we transform the four warehouses into a characterful workspace destination with best-in-class amenities and a drastically reduced carbon footprint.

We enjoyed celebrating the work of Design Studio 18 at University of Westminster led by Laura Nica, Ben Pollock and John Cook.

This year DS18 explored the built environment’s impact on air and atmosphere, asking whether architecture’s role should be one of resistance, remediation, manipulation or rebalancing.

Fathom were happy to sponsor the show and have an opportunity to see the explorations and ideas – follow @ds18_westminster on Instagram to see the students’ impressive work.

Fantastic to have our development at 216-220 Blackfriars Road featured in New London Architecture’s 2023 Tall Buildings Survey, published this month. The report focuses on Sustainable Skylines and the role tall buildings play in contributing to a more compact and sustainable London.

Our consented designs for Southwark Charities address the need for housing provision specifically for older Londoners, with 62 carefully considered almshouses as part of a mixed-use development including a highly sustainable 21-storey office tower facing Blackfriars Road.

Find the project on page 56 of NLA London Tall Buildings Survey, available to download here.

Our innovative ‘timeshared’ workspace was featured by FRAME magazine in an insight piece on how companies can be more creative with their space as work habits shift.

Riya Patel highlighted our London Bridge studio – carefully designed and managed as a shared dual-branded space for us and our friends Graphic Structures – and Morris + Company’s new Home of Ideas in East London as two examples of clever co-habiting.

Read our tips on successful sharing and how this benefits Fathom here.

Homes England – the government’s housing and regeneration agency – has appointed Fathom on Lot 2 of the Development and Regeneration Technical Services (DARTS) Framework as part of a team led by longstanding collaborators David Lock Associates Ltd.

We’re looking forward to using our expertise in the design of residential, innovation and employment sites to support Homes England achieve their development objectives – generating exemplary outcomes for people, places and nature and investments which deliver social as well as economic gain.

This May Fathom is pleased as punch to feature as RIBA London’s Practice of the Month!

If you’d like to know how we’ve navigated our first seven years, why we ‘timeshare’ our studio and ways we integrate digital tools into our design process – read the full feature here and follow @RIBALondon on Instagram and LinkedIn to see more over the coming weeks.

A big thank you to Dian Small, Abu Uddin and the RIBA team for the opportunity!

We’re extremely proud that – for the second year running – Fathom has been shortlisted in The Housing Design Awards.

This year is for St Mark’s Court in St John’s Wood, a complex heritage retrofit of a 19th century mansion block for client Henigman.

Through a collaborative effort we’re sensitively crafting a new identity for the building’s Conservation Area setting, drastically improving its environmental performance and re-purposing/extending the existing structure to increase the volume of homes on site.

The Housing Design Awards recognise the UK’s foremost housing schemes each year and are an excellent resource of innovative practice in residential design. We’re over the moon to be included.

We’re excited to be contributing to Retrofit Talks – as part of RETROFIT 23 at The Building Centre – with a lunchtime session on ‘Extending the life of heritage multi-unit residential’.

Director Rebecca Thomas will be presenting alongside James Hinks / Elliott Wood and Matthew Barnes / Hoare Lea on our collaborative approach to retrofitting a 19th century mansion block in St John’s Wood for client Henigman.

From identity and environmental performance to accessibility and wellbeing, we’ll explore the inherent complications and opportunities of adapting larger heritage buildings for residential use.

Join us live online from 1pm on Tuesday 16 May by registering here.

We’re proud to announce that Justin has been selected for the 2023 RIBA Education Committee.

An experienced practitioner and educator, he’s looking forward to collaboratively improving architectural education to become more inclusive, affordable and supportive of students’ wellbeing.

Reporting to the RIBA Board of Trustees, the Committee will be working to create more accessible routes into education – key to nurturing a profession of diverse architects who better represent society.

We’re pleased to add Fathom’s support to the Women’s Work: London project by Part W, which addresses the gap in how projects by women are often overlooked in digital and printed maps and archives.

This study recognises the impact of a diverse group of female architects, engineers, placemakers, landscape architects, commissioners, conservationists, activists and community champions.

Our support will help extend Part W’s study across the UK to recognise more female-centred design projects and create resources to ensure equal recognition for men and women.

Huge congratulations to Jo and Jack for completing the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise funds for London’s Air Ambulance.

As part of a Farringdon Road project team, Jo and Jack represented Fathom alongside Ambit, Bentallgreenoak, River Levett Bucknall, Blackburn & Co and Spinnaker Projects.

We’re proud to be contributors and supporters of The University of Bath’s Paperspace issue 19 on Systems.

Bath alumni, Justin Nicholls, penned an article on how the process of fabric weaving has inspired Fathom’s approach to creating facades with depth, identity and connections to place. You can read the article in full here.

Highlighting three projects which employ this approach, we loved the bespoke graphics created by Daria Shiryaeva to accompany the piece.

Fathom has been appointed to retrofit and extend a series of former stables on a sensitive corner site in the Knightsbridge Conservation Area for The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.

Our sustainability-led approach will enhance the local streetscape, create better connections between the building and its listed neighbours, improve the workspace offer and develop a distinct identity which celebrates the building’s existing character.

We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks.

Director Rebecca Thomas shared her views with Mix Interiors on why desk numbers are the wrong measurement for workspaces today, and how the purpose of offices has evolved.

Read the article here

Exciting times as we prepare to take our consented scheme for the ambitious reinvention of St Mark’s Court in the St John’s Wood Conservation Area to site.

Sustainability drivers for our retrofit of this late 19th century mansion block include minimising operational energy, supporting a fossil free future, generating renewables on site and creating space for nature.

We look forward to showing you more of our journey with developer Henigman soon.

A short hovercraft journey away on the Isle of Wight, we’ve secured outline planning for just under 100 new homes unlocking a sensitive brownfield development site for our client.

Currently a derelict holiday park, the site overlooks the Solent sloping gently down to the water’s edge.

Designs will draw from the maritime setting, making the most of the site’s mature trees and views across the water.
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We look forward to sharing more info on this exciting project soon.

We enjoyed an in-depth discussion around ‘Ageing in Place’ with Christine Murray and our client – Chris Wilson from Southwark Charities – for The Developer podcast.

Using our consented Blackfriars Almshouse scheme as a development model, we explored how affordable homes for older Londoners can support independent living, facilitate community participation and encourage visits from wider family members (including small, easily bored ones).

Listen to the episode here.

We’re searching for a creative architect with an innovative approach to design. If you’re excited by a challenging brief and motivated by architecture with a deep connection to place, you sound right up our street!

As a studio actively involved in education and accessibility in architecture, we strongly encourage applications from diverse ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and people living with disabilities.

Take a look at the full details and apply via the Dezeen jobs listing

We’re pleased to be working with The Crown Estate to improve the street presence of a 1980’s corner building on Prince’s Street – just off Regent’s Street – supporting their aim to enhance food and beverage offer and public realm in the immediate area.

Drawing pedestrian traffic from Oxford Street, Regent Street and Crossrail at Hanover Square, the newly refurbished ground floor will animate this key corner and increase dwell time on Prince’s Street.

We’re pleased to be continuing our work with Argent, supporting their development team with the ongoing investment at Coal Drops Yard.

Currently we’re reconfiguring 475 sqm across a series of units to provide flexible and distinctive spaces for retail and F&B.

Accessible routes through architecture education is something we’re passionate about at Fathom, and we’re doing our bit to support the next generation of architects.

In 2023 we’re mentoring eight students through traditional and apprenticeship routes via the RIBA Future Architects and WCCA Student schemes. We’ll offer support throughout the students’ educational journey to develop goals and build confidence as they transition from study to workplace.

Anyone who’s mentored before will know it’s a hugely enjoyable and mutually beneficial experience, and we’re excited to learn together.

Thank you to Dezeen for including 6 Babmaes Street – our social workspace for The Crown Estate – as one of ten projects in their 2022 lookbook of colourful 1970s inspired interiors.

“The 1970s are often associated with a relaxed, comfortable aesthetic, and so the decade was referenced by Fathom Architects in its post-pandemic design for this London office.

Warm colours are paired with tactile materials to create a cosier atmosphere than the traditional office, as a response to the increased prevalence of working from home.”

Last week our team enjoyed a day out of the studio to celebrate the close of another great year, with a private tour of Grade I listed Somerset House followed by a few spins on the skating rink – our star skater being smooooth as ice Freddie!

We headed across the river to Bankside for drinks and dinner, where a twist on Secret Santa became hotly contested for the coveted star prize of . . a llama planter.

Thanks so much to Jo, Connie, Richard & Jack for organising a fantastic day – and to our brilliant, talented team of Fathomites!

We love the early stages of strip out when so much of the original building is revealed. Last month Fathom started on site with Ambit Moat at 143-158 Farringdon Road.

Celebrating the building’s Victorian heritage and upgrading its performance are key aspects to the ambitious retrofit to create 66,000sqft of distinctive workspace for client BentallGreenOak.

These beautiful existing brick arches, chimneys and openings will be cleaned and repaired to remain part of the new structure.

Windows will be replaced with double glazed units calculated to reduce office energy consumption by 4.55 kWh/m2/year – paying back the embodied carbon from replacing the units within 6 years.

Following the successful delivery of our development plan with David Lock Associates for Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell, we’ve been commissioned to support the future expansion of Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire for the Science Technology Research Council (STFC).

Daresbury Laboratory is a joint venture between STFC and private developers, and central to the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus. Our development plan will support ambitions to continue world-leading scientific research on the site and encourage the incubation of innovative new businesses.

Our masterplan for Hauxton Mill Life Science campus is featured in New London Architecture’s Innovation Districts research.

The report provides an update on the booming Life Sciences sector, with case studies highlighting inclusive places for innovation to grow the UK’s knowledge economy.

Hauxton Mill SciTech Park sits on a complex 2.8 acre site in Cambridge, designed to establish a community of entrepreneurs in life science, technology and social enterprise for client o2h.

See more on the project here or visit NLA for the full Innovation Districts Report.

We’re excited to start on site this week with Ambit as contractor for 143-157 Farringdon Road, an ambitious retrofit project to revive and extend a complex family of former warehouses in a prime Clerkenwell location for BentallGreenOak.

The Victorian buildings occupy a prominent stretch of Farringdon Road and will comprise 66,000 sq ft of distinctive workspace with indoor and outdoor amenity space and a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

Many thanks to Knight Dragon for taking the time to show our team around Design District, evolving as one of London’s most exciting creative quarters.

We played basketball on the roof, met some makers and had a peek inside a building or two before heading over to Design London for some inspiration and drinks by the river. Thanks Jo for organising a lovely evening!

It was a huge honour to pick up an Honourable Mention at the 2022 Housing Design Awards this week for our Southwark Charities Almshouse development in Blackfriars.

Awards Director David Birkbeck commended the considered design which supports a sustainable community of older people, and said the project is already influencing others. See more about the project here.

Did you catch our Summer of Six series highlighting projects completed by our team and collaborators in Fathom’s first six years?

From repurposing a BBC nightclub to create incubator space for musicians at White City Place to Passivhaus EnerPHit standard science & research facilities at University of Oxford, you can catch the full series on our Instagram or LinkedIn.

Much excitement in the studio that our 6 Babmaes Street project for The Crown Estate has been shortlisted to the final five for the FRAME Awards 2022.

The only London workspace to be included on the international shortlist, 6 Babmaes Street was selected as one the most innovative, creative, sustainable and functional coworking spaces today. Winners announced 13 October!

We’re over the moon that 6 Babmaes Street – our social workspace for The Crown Estate – has made the Dezeen Awards 2022 longlist in the Small Workspace Interiors category!

In a record breaking year for the awards with 5,400 entries from 90 countries, 6 Babmaes Street is one of 27 in its category which Dezeen and their judges selected as ‘the world’s best interior spaces’.

We had a wonderful time toasting Fathom’s talented team with our day of Summer in the City.

Big thank you to our social committee Jo, Jack, Richard and Connie for organising an inspiring itinerary with brunch at Granary Square, chugging down the Regent’s Canal, a visit to Theaster Gates’ Black Chapel, mooching around the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and finishing with dinner, drinks and cabaret!

Fathom’s debut on the architects’ softball circuit began with a storming victory over The Manser Practice, winning the series 2-1!

Despite having a depleted matchday squad, the Fathomites produced a number of magnificent home runs along with some expertly co-ordinated fielding and showstopping catches.

Thank you to The Manser Practice for letting us borrow a few seasoned regulars to produce a spectacle, and for the laughs at the pub afterwards. And big thanks to Jack for organising the game, and Enosh for the match report.

We’re excited to promote Richard Hanley Timmins to Senior Architect.

Since joining Fathom in 2021 he has successfully led our sustainable retrofit of St Mark’s Court in St John’s Wood through planning, and is currently working on the reimagining of an office building in Waterloo.

We love his passion for sustainable development and dedication to creatively re-using existing buildings. Find out more about Richard on our People page.

We had a fantastic tour of The Garden of Privatised Delights at The Building Centre, thanks to Manijeh Verghese who generously gave her time to share insights in co-curating the UK Pavilion for the Venice Biennale with Madeleine Kessler.

The installation addresses how perceived public spaces – such as high streets and playgrounds are under threat from increasing privatisation, and asks important questions about ownership and access.

Of course we had to take the obligatory team photo on the climbing frame before heading to the pub for a few drinks!

We’re very happy to welcome Kirah to Fathom for the summer. Kirah is a second-year Architecture student at University of Bath bringing her skills to the team and learning about life in practice.

A passionate advocate for how the built environment industry can address the climate crisis, she is keen to learn how social and environmental responsibility can be integrated into architecture.

Kirah is a member of the University of Bath’s Architecture and Civil Engineering (ACE) Climate Action Group and People and Planet society, as well as volunteering at The Green Hub – a Surrey-based charity supporting the mental health of young people through nature engagement.

The future of our planet needs more Kirah’s, and we’re excited to be part of her journey into architecture!

Director Jonathan Mitchell was in Manchester for the 2022 BCO Conference in June, and made it onto the BBC sofa (fully branded with a Fathom bag, of course)!

To read more about our takeaways from this year’s conference on the future of workspace – from retrofit and innovation to taking a regenerative ‘citizen led’ approach – visit our LinkedIn pages.

Some welcome post landed on Fathom’s doorstep this week, the lovely London Society Journal addressing their 2022 theme of Connections.

We’re delighted to have contributed an article by Director Jonathan Mitchell about how considered design can protect our connections with older Londoners.

Jonathan shares how our consented scheme for 62 contemporary almshouses in Blackfrairs was carefully created to support independent and active lifestyles, nurture neighbourliness, counter feelings of isolation, adopt dementia friendly design principles and connect to the wider community through architecture and landscape design.

We’re incredibly excited to have 6 Babmaes Street shortlisted for a Design Week award for Workplace Interiors!

This category recognises the best and most innovative workplace environments in terms of functionality, serving the needs of customers and the long-term goals of the project.

Hats off to our client – The Crown Estate – for their ambitious retrofit brief and collaborative approach to getting this new typology of social workspace right.

We’re looking for a creative and confident qualified architect and post Part II architectural assistant to join our team. Both positions require a good working knowledge of Revit and AutoCAD.

Architect applicants should have minimum two years’ post qualification experience of projects at planning and detail design stage in the UK. Working as part of a team – and with the support and guidance of a senior architect – you should be able to run your own projects.

Fathom operates a hybrid working model, supports part-time employment and encourages applications from diverse ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and those living with disabilities.
To apply, please send your CV and portfolio to jocooksley@fathomarchitects.com.

Fathom is a young, collaborative practice in Bermondsey which offers a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. We host regular social events to learn, grow and be inspired together, as well as a weekly studio bake!