A key focus of the project was the adaptive reuse of existing elements of the building, repurposing them in new ways and locations. Hanbury Street was once home to Harry Epstein Ltd., a world-renowned furniture manufacturer celebrated as one of Europe’s finest cabinet makers. Today, the former factory has been converted into residential units and sits within the Brick Lane and Fournier Street Conservation Area. The surrounding streets are lined with characterful retail shops, pubs, restaurants, and cafés at ground level, with offices, storage, and residential spaces above.

Our work began with restructuring the layout to suit a family of five. A central element of this was introducing a new staircase linking the two floors, which also served as a lightwell—bringing much-needed natural light into the deep-plan building.

Preserving the original factory character was essential to the design. We retained the exposed brickwork, existing architectural details, and original doors, including a large steel sliding door. The spaces were kept as open and generous as possible while still accommodating the needs of the household.

The building had many existing features worth preserving, including teak doors, shelving, and tiles. At the outset, we spent significant time taking a careful inventory of these elements, ensuring they could be meaningfully incorporated into the new design.