Bureau Squire and Partners rebuilt a complex of dilapidated buildings in the Brixton area into the "cluster" of The Department Store: the architectural workshop itself is located there, part of the space is rented out as offices, and there is also space for several shops, a cafe and a restaurant. The main part of the reconstructed object is a department store built in 1906 (that department store, which is mentioned in the name). Initially, it was a wing of the luxurious Bon Marche side by side: trade was on the first two floors, and above there was housing for employees. During the war, it was used as a bomb shelter, but the function was really changed only in 1955, becoming an office building. By the beginning of the 21st century, it and the adjacent buildings, including the historic fire station, were occupied by various institutions, but since 2012 these structures have been abandoned, and soon squatters settled there.
The architects purchased and refurbished the Ferndale Road buildings in 2015 - including the post office that was in operation at the time (now reopened). They decided to make the theme of the project handicraft, handicraft - historical and contemporary. Almost everywhere, later layering was removed to show traces of time on the interior of the Edwardian era, as well as to demonstrate the original parquetry of mahogany and teak wood, stairs with ceramic tiles, cast-iron radiators. Somewhere multi-layered and multi-colored layers of paint and even graffiti are preserved, somewhere brickwork is revealed, there are also modern additions, in particular, a series of "voids" has been created, which made it possible to visually connect different levels.
The façade has been meticulously restored. There is a terrace on the roof and pavilions with copper roofs, and the dilapidated dome of the turret has been replaced with a glass one.
The ground floor houses the reception and model workshop, as well as shops, a landscaped courtyard and event spaces. Offices, including the headquarters of Squire and Partners, are located on the second, third and fourth levels, while the fifth is dedicated to public and event areas.
