Inside an HQ Relocation & Fit-Out for One of London's Leading Architectural Practices

How Dragonfly Projects delivered a new HQ & studio for one of the UK's leading architectural practices  - on time, on budget, and with sustainability at its core.

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When your client is a 40-year-old architecture practice with an exceptionally sharp eye for detail, there's no room for "good enough." That was the challenge  - and the privilege - at the heart of Dragonfly's work on the Orms Designers & Architects HQ at 160 Old Street, London.

Appointed as Project Manager and Employer's Agent, Dragonfly successfully oversaw Orms' relocation from their previous studio at Oliver's Yard, upsizing their workspace by approximately 50%. The result is a high-spec studio that reflects everything Orms stands for; precision, craft, and considered design.

The Brief

The firm objectives for the project were clear from day one. Deliver the Cat B fit-out at a highly competitive all in rate of £115/ft2, without compromising on the architect-led design vision that Orms demanded. Speed was a priority, but so was absolute precision. With an architectural practice as the end user, every detail from design coordination to final finish had to be flawless.

Programme & Procurement

Dragonfly ran the entire project in just eight months, using a 'detail and build' procurement route with specific client-directs for joinery, specialist lighting, FF&E, AV, and planting. Pre-construction began in December, with on-site works running from April through to July 2024.

Orms had a rigid completion date. A surrender date of the end of July had been agreed at their existing space and missing this date was not an option. Quality and budget remained just as important, whilst racing through the programme.

The programme demanded constant parallel working. During months four and five, the team simultaneously managed strip-out and enabling works alongside Stage 4 design development, client-direct approvals, and critical manufacturing orders. During the most intensive three months of the build, Dragonfly's project lead was on-site daily, contract managing client-direct packages and ensuring seamless coordination with the main works.

By staying lean, removing unnecessary management overheads, and thinking creatively at every stage, the team protected the client's budget without sacrificing an inch of quality.

The Team

Great outcomes depend on the right people.

Orms hand-picked a multi-disciplinary team of niche specialists, which Dragonfly coordinated and managed throughout. The project brought together interior design from Tutto Bene, technical and workspace design from Victoria Interior Consulting, M&E engineering from Lehding Services Design, specialist lighting by EQ2, design management by Nic Caulkett, furniture and styling by Dodds & Shute as well as joinery works by Tekne (please tag them)

Sustainability

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the project was its sustainability ambition. Its starting point was a meaningful one. Orms originally refurbished the Old Royal Building back in 2016, so their return to the sixth floor felt like a natural homecoming.

The brief was simple in principle, demanding in execution. Reuse everything possible. The vacant 6th floor was taken with the previous fit out still part in situ from the previous tenant. The existing mechanical ventilation system, fire alarm, small power, existing glazed and stud partitions and doors, kitchen carcass units, blinds, and furniture were all retained. Where direct reuse wasn't possible, the team upcycled, working with specialists including Traco Group for kitchens, floor and joinery finishes, lighting, and Saint-Gobain who up cycled all glass from any partitioning. The result is a high-specification studio delivered with a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Proof, if it were needed, that the most sustainable building is the one that's already standing.

The Outcome

Practical Completion was achieved in July 2024, on programme and within budget. But for Dragonfly, that wasn't the end of the story. Since completion, the team has been retained on a monthly basis to manage Day 2 works, coordinating additional desks and bespoke FF&E, managing lighting alterations, and ensuring the studio evolves alongside Orms as the practice continues to grow.

Delivering a space of this caliber for a practice celebrating its 40th year was a milestone moment. It's a project that demonstrates what's possible when rigorous project management, a talented multi-disciplinary team, and a genuinely collaborative client relationship come together. We are hugely proud of what we achieved.

Want to work with us? Contact Dragonfly Projects today to make an enquiry. 

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Photography by Martina Ferreira.