Hackney Town Hall

Paying Homage to the Art Deco Aesthetic

Dating back to 1937, the Grade II listed Hackney Town Hall was overdue for refurbishment.

As part of an extensive 12-year, 12,500m2 restoration, there was an opportunity to transform its dated, underused interior courtyards into multi-functional atria  that pay homage to the building’s original Art Deco aesthetic while creating a striking new look.

The team achieved this by painstakingly creating full-height, bronzed aluminium wall panels using METAL Wallcoustic Horizon wall system with custom laser perforations. These perforations, designed to individual, photographic patterns, echoed the original brickwork while arrestingly incorporating a butterfly effect to diffuse light into the space. With the creation of this feature—not to mention the increased energy efficiency of the building and the diversion of 97% of waste from landfill—the regeneration of Hackney Town Hall received a RIBA Award in 2018.