200 Gray’s Inn Road — Warner Bros Offices

200 Gray’s Inn Road — Warner Bros Offices

Working in collaboration with Joe Mellows Furniture, MASS created bespoke concrete external bench ends for the Warner Bros offices at 200 Gray’s Inn Road in central London. MASS produced the concrete ends and Joe Mellows Furniture crafted the timber seating.

This landmark building was originally designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners. Today it provides high-quality office space and a roof terrace for occupiers including ITN, which has its headquarters there. As part of the fit-out, Ian McArdle Architects and main contractor Overbury wanted outdoor seating that would feel as considered as the interiors and sit comfortably within the building’s architectural pedigree.

The design
The benches pair solid concrete ends with timber seating made by Joe Mellows Furniture. The concrete gives the pieces a sense of permanence and weight, while the timber adds warmth and comfort. The result is furniture that feels at home in a working office setting and stands up to year-round outdoor use.

Colour and finish
The bench ends were cast in our Light Portland Grey with a pumice finish, which was approved by the project team at sample stage. This soft, natural grey complements the building’s palette, and the pumice finish brings out a subtle, tactile texture that reads beautifully in daylight. Because each piece is cast in our own factory, we could control consistency across every bench end, so the run looks uniform once installed.

Built for outdoors
The bench ends were manufactured in GRC/precast concrete and sealed to protect against weathering and staining, ensuring a durable, low-maintenance finish in an exposed rooftop setting.

Project Team:
Joe Mellows Furniture www.joemellows.com
Ian McArdle Architects www.ianmcardlearchitects.com
Overbury www.overbury.com

Photo Credits:
Rob Parrish Photography www.robparrish.com