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Warp and weft

Credit: Gareth Gardner

Warwick Street in central London’s is now home to Squire & Partners latest project for London Mutual Insurance Society. Its re-modelling of an existing 1980s building picks up on the character of the Soho Conservation Area while rebelling against it at the same time. The brick face of stone spandrels has strong vertical columns of Ibstock’s ‘woven’ Umbra bricks. Specified in green to pick up on the glazed tiles seen in the area, it’s a contextual nod that perhaps allowed the firm to go off piste with its wilful asymmetrical mansard, which, asserted the design and access statement, was influenced by the paintings of notorious Soho artist and bon vivant, Francis Bacon.

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