CLIENT
DTZI (Developer), Folk Living (Brand)
DESIGN
Assael Architecture
LOCATION
London, UK
COMPLETED
2022
Folk is a co-living brand built around community and connection, offering homes that balance shared living and working with private comfort. Working alongside interior designers Assael and Atypical Practice, we were appointed to develop and deliver the furniture package for Folk’s second co- development in London, Sunday Mills.
Perched along the River Wandle in South London, Sunday Mills is a 315- bed co-living scheme from development partners DTZi and Halcyon. The architecture of the building draws on the industrial history of the local area, with a focus on raw and exposed finishes, while the interior design, developed by Assael and Atypical, softens the industrial architecture through a paredback palette of warm materials, soft furnishings and hanging greenery.
We collaborated with the design team to develop furniture packages for the duplex apartments and amenities, balancing design, durability and sustainability requirements with robust budget and programme management. For the amenity spaces, we focused on soft, organic forms and natural materials that align with the interior scheme and create an inviting, homely resident experience.
Comfort and flexibility were essential criteria in the selection; we recommended low-back sofas and generous lounge seating to encourage relaxed, social interaction and easily moveable stools and chairs, enabling adaptability of the space according to the residents’ evolving needs. In the duplexes, our in-house design team developed bespoke dining and lounge pieces to fit the unique spatial requirements of the apartments while ensuring style, comfort and durability in the design.
With responsible living and positive social impact at the brand’s core, aligning the furniture package with Folk’s sustainability principles was essential. During the early stages of the project, we worked closely with the project team to define the furniture sustainability criteria and aspirations. We utilised our relationships with local manufacturing partners for the bespoke pieces to help minimise the project’s carbon footprint and selected durable fabrics to maximise the life of items and allow easy, on-site maintenance.
Our dedicated project management and operations teams managed all logistics requirements throughout the project and the final delivery and installation of furniture at Sunday Mills, ensuring all items arrived as ordered and on time and residents could move in without hassle.
