Date: 2025
Location: London, United Kingdom
Client: YardNine & BauMont Capital
Architect: Fletcher Priest Architects
Specialist Contractor: Techrete

In the dense urban fabric of central London, architecture is experienced at close quarters. Narrow streets, pedestrian movement, and neighbouring buildings bring façades into immediate view, making street-level detail an important part of the architectural experience.

For the redevelopment of 100 Fetter Lane, our studio was commissioned to produce a series of bespoke ceramic brick motifs that would enrich the façade and establish a distinctive identity rooted in the history of the site.

The sculptural motifs draw inspiration from the area's rich printing heritage and the historic public house that once occupied the location. Embedded within the brickwork, they create subtle moments of discovery, connecting the contemporary building to its local context through material storytelling.

The completed façade incorporates eight bespoke handmade ceramic motifs, developed in close collaboration with the architects and the project team. Positioned throughout the building, the interventions animate the elevation at street level while also appearing at higher levels, where they can be viewed from neighbouring buildings and surrounding public spaces.

The bespoke elements were created through a combination of digital technology and traditional ceramic craft. Designs were first developed digitally and produced using 3D printing, before being translated into plaster moulds for hand-pressing in clay.

Particular care was taken to source a clay body that matched the physical characteristics and visual qualities of the surrounding façade material. Each motif was finished with a vibrant turquoise glaze, making them blend seamlessly into the architecture while introducing unexpected moments of colour and character for those encountering the building.