For the reception hall of The Post Building in London, Ismini Samanidou collaborated with AHMM Architects to design a wall covering that is appealing from both a distance and up close, thanks to the careful use of colour and structure.
The Post Building is a former Royal Mail Sorting Office at the heart of a new urban quarter, surrounded by a hub of key institutions like the University College London, the British Museum, several theatres and the Royal Opera House. After renovation, the building will offer 24.433 sq meter of flexible office space. The wall covering will hang behind the reception desk. The construction of the building seems to continue in the design, creating depth.
During the renovation, a photo was taken of the stripped building. This photo served as the starting point for the wall covering. One requirement was that the work be not only visually appealing from a distance but that it also retain its aesthetic properties up close. The selected bindings and threads provide a refined but varied structure.
Textile designer and artist Samanidou (1977) studied textile design at Central Saint Martins in London and earned her master’s degree in constructed textiles in 2003 from the Royal College of Art. She has researched textile techniques worldwide and is principally interested in the way weaving exists as a common autonomous language that crosses cultural and political boundaries. Her work has been exhibited around the world and can be found in various collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Samanidou lives and works on the south coast of England.
AHMM Architects was founded in 1989 by Simon Allford, Jonathan Hall, Paul Monaghan and Peter Morris. The London-based bureau designs housing, schools, exhibition spaces, offices, health-care facilities and other buildings. The designs have won multiple awards, including the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2015.
