Threefold Architects


  • A workplace without boundaries

Briefed to create a ‘workplace without boundaries’ providing flexible work and event spaces throughout the public realm of the International Quarter development in Stratford, Threefold conceived of a family of modular moveable structures which provide escape from the office, a connection with nature and the public realm. 

Since coming down from them the human race has retained a strong bond with trees, they retain powerful historic, social and symbolic meaning. For millennia trees have provided places to shelter, as landmarks to meet, or as spaces for contemplation

Inspired by trees as natural gathering places, nodes in the landscape, and direct connections with nature a family of timber pavilions, individual in their appearance utilise a set of modular components to create consistent language for the outdoor workspaces. The base element consists of a structural canopy supported on four columns, in to which different modules can be plugged to create various configurations ranging from an enclosed flexible meeting room/workspace, a small single meeting rooms, individual workstations to an outdoor cinema.

The structures are designed to be lightweight, moveable and demountable. Each is an expressed timber construction, that can be broken down into a series of off-site fabricated modular repeated component parts of manageable size, facilitating ease of on-site construction and movability of the structure.

Each is designed to create its own highly sustainable ‘ecosystem’ with the potential to harvest solar energy from photovoltaics on the roof and store it with battery packs to provide power for lighting, heating, screens and devices. Rainwater could also be stored for irrigation of planting, creating attenuation for drainage.

Project Data

Client: Lendlease 

Type: Public 


Status: Concept Design 

Location: East London