https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.88.10

With ownership of 30 Farringdon Lane now secured, The Society has engaged the services of office design specialist Peldon Rose to oversee the fit out.

The Society is a small, but diverse organisation, and the demands on the new premises reflect this. Staff must be housed in a way that optimises working processes and takes into account the needs of individuals.

But, of course, we expect much more than this from the future ‘Hodgkin–Huxley House’: as well as being an exemplary working environment, the new premises will aspire to be a home for physiology. Provision for focused scientific meetings and public engagement events will be integral to the building, making best use of the space for events that can be formal or casual, big or small; from staff and committee meetings, to lectures and even receptions. The interior design is expected to do no less than reflect the energy and vigour of The Society, from its founding to the present day, and we are looking at how we best reflect our history in the new environment. We shall have full copies of our journals on display (but protected) and we are exploring the possibility of a display of old physiological equipment.

The Farringdon Offices will also, in part, be an investment in what is an up-coming area of London with Farringdon CrossRail arriving in 2018. In addition there are opportunities to generate revenue, as we will let two floors and allow hire of the on-site meeting rooms and auditorium.

Dawn McAdam, Project Designer at Peldon Rose, said: “The relocation project for The Physiological Society is interesting in that it is a mixed-use environment, which not only has to house their various departments in a pleasant working environment, but also be a public space in which to engage the membership as well as members of the public with a high level of adaptability.

“We love the challenge that this type of project brings and finding the best design solutions to solve them.

“At Peldon Rose we take the time to understand our client’s individual requirements. We are working with The Society to realise aspirations, bringing in experts from our team to assist in each choice, to provide an inspirational yet functional space that motivates, inspires and ultimately improves their business.”