Formal house was built in the late nineteenth-century, and has served as a storage warehouse, self-storage units, and a snooker club. To create a vibrant town-centre office space, the five-storey building needed to be sympathetically refurbished.
Our aim was to integrate as many of the original features as possible into the design to create a vibrant and unique workspace. To fully utilise the space on-site, we designed an additional fully glazed office extension in the courtyard.
“The quality of detailing and the retention of existing features […] gives a link to the past use of the building. It is obviously an attractive place to work. The new addition makes a fitting contrast to the original building.”
The finished building is full of character and is home to many creative, dynamic businesses. As well as office space, the building houses meeting rooms, breakout areas and an events space. The courtyard has been fully reimagined, incorporating tiered seating areas, dramatic external lighting, and an innovative cycle ramp.
In 2019, Formal House won the Cheltenham Civic Award for its restoration, with judges impressed by its ‘quality of detailing and the retention of existing features’.
