South Square

 

IBLA were asked to substantially remodel the interior of this Barristers' chambers to create a new entrance and clerks room, and a new internal stair connecting the two separate floors; all within the eight week summer court recess.

 

A new glazed entrance was formed on the first floor, opening directly into the relocated clerks room. Substantial structural alterations were required to open the new clerks room up to the main access corridor, and to form a small opening into the second floor for the new stair.

 

The main corridor was lined with bespoke Walnut panelling and shelving to house the chambers law library. A new panelled ceiling treatment incorporating new lighting and services, together with concealed, magnetically operated fire doors, brought a sense of openness and clarity to the main circulation route.

 

The new stair was extremely constrained, both in terms of the plan area it could occupy, and by the limited scope for forming openings between the floors. It also needed to be as transparent as possible to avoid closing down the newly opened up library corridor.

 

A tight spiral form was adopted, with open oak treads supported on an innovative structural balustrade. The balustrade itself was modelled to lean out over the void, in order to give a more generous feel to a very narrow stair.