Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation

The initial aims of the Garden City movement, to build a town in a protected area which combined the best of town and country, were a widely acknowledged success and has subsequently been replicated globally. The Heritage Foundation are custodians of that legacy, tasked with taking it forward and building on that success.

With an intrinsic focus on community, the Heritage Foundation wanted to relocate their offices to a more central location within the town making their services easily accessible to all.

COEL won the contract to provide a complete fit out and interior for the new headquarters, having displayed understanding of the ‘values and visions’ of the Foundation. The statuesque building selected as the new hub, consists of three floors, and sits central to the main thoroughfare of the town. The ground floor forms the main entrance; it is an inviting and welcoming space for the public to access public services such as Discover Letchworth and the Heritage Advisory Service. The first floor forms the main office space, an agile working space was facilitated, providing plenty of access to communal areas to gather and work as teams, with optional breakout areas and meeting rooms for quieter gatherings and focused work. The second floor is a storage facility for historical artefacts and documents.

The natural daylight that floods the building has been capitalised on throughout the design creating a light and airy interior. Provision of sleek storage units which wrap seamlessly through the corridors generates a clean and modern look. Wood floors add a natural warmth and compliment the Heritage colour palette of rich blues and muted greys. Homage is paid to the origins and history of the Foundation, with framed photographs placed thoughtfully throughout the working space reflecting Letchworth Garden City’s unique and incredible lineage.