A comprehensive development of an island site on Old Street, that provides a total of 9,000sqm of office and retail space. It is located on the route between Old Street Station and Shoreditch, a key public node that marks the boundary of Hackney and Islington, and the entry into Shoreditch. It is a space that has been neglected over the years and has the opportunity for a key development. The site is divided into three building blocks, each of which respond to the different influences on the site: Titchfield House responds to the Shoreditch Warehouses to the South of the site and the immediate neighbours on Tabernacle Street. The existing townhouses are renovated and extended, and form the boundary of two important public squares. Picture House is a tall building that marks the boundary of Old Street and Shoreditch, combining the styles of both areas. A historic street which ran through the site is recreated in a new courtyard that will provide a calm oasis just off the busy thoroughfare of Old Street. Ground floor retail and cafes will activate this space, making it a vibrant new destination. The architectural language draws on the industrial heritage of Shoreditch, while also representing the modern culture of the area as a vibrant, creative and fringe area. Douglas and King are currently working with Hackney Planning Department towards a planning application for this key scheme. See the blog for sketches, studies and updates to this project as it develops over the coming months.