Designing for community, then and now

Church Grove Hall was originally built in 1927 as a church hall for the adjacent St John Church. Sold in the 1970s, it later became a children’s nursery before closing shortly after the Covid pandemic. Vacant since 2021, the building had begun to fall into disrepair.

The client, CharityJob, employs over 30 staff as recruitment consultants for the charity sector. Drawn to the building’s community-led history, they saw an opportunity to create a workspace that fostered collaboration and connection, moving away from more isolated ways of working.

The brief was to deliver a contemporary office that retained the hall’s inherent charm and openness, incorporating original features wherever possible. At its core was a strong sense of community, with a large, shared meeting space designed to bring the team together each week.

Elevating performance with Hushwood

A key design priority was to retain the spaciousness of the hall by celebrating its exposed trusses and vaulted ceiling. A new mezzanine was carefully introduced, with a first-floor conference room defined by a feature arched window that echoes the building’s original detailing.

Acoustic performance was equally critical. With the sales team located on the mezzanine — directly beneath the vaulted ceiling and spending much of their time on calls — the space required targeted acoustic control to ensure clarity and comfort.

To address sound at scale while maintaining visual continuity, a bespoke fire retardant Hushwood white oak panelling with black felt backing was applied across the vaulted ceiling. Combining refined aesthetics with high-performance acoustic absorption, it functions as both a technical solution and a defining architectural feature. The natural oak finish introduces warmth and tonal variation, softening the scale of the interior.

A new identity for the hall

The completed scheme balances openness with intimacy, transforming the former hall into a workspace that feels both connected and calm. The vaulted ceiling - enhanced by the Hushwood Oak panelling - becomes the defining feature, drawing the eye upward while creating a consistent visual language across the space. The result is a workplace that reflects the client’s ethos — collaborative, welcoming and rooted in community — demonstrating how considered material choices can elevate both performance and atmosphere in adaptive renovation projects.