The buzz and colour of London’s Borough Market informs a nearby co-working project by architect Hassell for Fora
The London office of Hassell, the international design practice with its roots in Australia, has completed a ‘proworking’ space for Fora on Borough High Street in south London. The project forms part of the Brandon House mixed-use development initiated by Crest Nicholson, from which Fora acquired the commercial component. Providing 3,000 square metres of co-working and flexible workspace, the venue also incorporates hospitality and retail, including a residents’ bar with roof terraces and the Nordic-style ‘Borealis’ restaurant and cafe, designed by JLK Design and run by banker-turned-restaurateur Soren Jessen.
The new building is located opposite Borough underground station and the grade-II*-listed St George the Martyr church, and near to Borough Market and London Bridge mainline station. Fora Borough occupies seven floors, including a top-floor double-height residents’ lounge with full-height windows, wall-to-wall skylights and outdoor terraces. The development also incorporates a ‘well-being studio’, residents’ kitchens on each floor, breakout and event spaces, boardrooms and a library and reading lounge. Drawing on the proximity of Borough Market, the entrance space features with food and drinks areas mixed with casual working and meeting spaces. Bespoke furnishings include artworks, custom-designed rugs, and Hans Wegner furniture.
Founded by the Big Chill festival co-founder Katrina Larkin and hospitality entrepreneur Enrico Sanna, Fora’s mission is to ‘reimagine our office experience by employing premium hotel-style service and design, innovative technology and a curated approach to resident activity’. Fora is backed by Brockton Capital, the investor behind Camden Lock, Curzon Street and Realpubs, and has acquired 10 locations in the last 12 months, mostly around London. Fora currently operates two flexible workspaces in Clerkenwell, the new workspace at Borough, with Fitzrovia and Reading due to open in autumn 2018.
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