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All Aboard! The Office Group Unveils New Flexible Workplace at London's Marylebone Station

Words by Yatzer

London, United Kingdom

Conveniently situated next to London’s Marylebone Station, Melcombe Place is the latest location of The Office Group (TOG), the purveyor of flexible workspaces. Eschewing the idea that one style fits all, each of TOG’s properties are unique in character and Melcombe Place is no exception. London-based interior designer and architects Shed have channelled the Grade II listed building’s century-old elegance through a filter of contemporary sophistication and laidback polish by eclectically combining restored period finishes with vintage pieces and contemporary furnishings. Comprising a series of intimate sitting rooms, a library and a gym, alongside the available office space and meeting rooms, these suave new London co-working spaces are the just the right mix of hip and authentic to entice even the most demanding Londoner.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Shed.

Photo by Shed.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

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Photo by Simon Bevan.

Opened to the public in 1899 in the northwest of London, Marylebone Station was the latest and smallest of London’s major railway terminals built during the Victorian era, which is probably why it’s also one of the most charming. Designed in the “Wrennaissaice” style of English baroque, the modest two-storey building in red brick and cream-coloured stone features round-arched windows on the ground floor, terracotta finishes and a slated roof with Dutch gables. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the larger stations, a postcard from 1903 reveals a scene of relaxed grandeur – Marylebone was known as the quietest London terminal with only 14 passenger trains arriving into Marylebone Station at the time – which served as the Shed’s starting point in designing Melcombe Place’s elegantly peaceful interiors.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Image

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Having stripped out the contemporary additions that clashed with the period architecture, the renovated interiors have regained their original gracefulness while the selection of furniture evinces a subtle opulence. The original hardwood parquet floors now sanded back and polished, meet wall panelling in sky blue and soothing greys, complemented by a sumptuous material palette of plush forest green velvet, white marble and antique brass. Large windows flood the spaced with natural light while a plethora of indoor plants have a calming effect. In the basement, the existing timber shelving has been revamped into a library which along with exposed brickwork and lush carpeting create a more relaxed ambience.

Besides ample co-working spaces and five meeting rooms ranging from small to large, members and guests can take advantage of elegant sitting rooms to unwind away from their desks as well as intimate booths to chat with a colleague or have some alone time and even a hammock where they can read a book or take a power nap. With views of the train concourses from some of the rooms, Melcombe Place is definitely a destination that one can feel pretty relaxed in.

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Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Image

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Simon Bevan.

Photo by Shed.

Photo by Shed.