Essential to the design outcome was to ensure that individual chambers would be capable of customization acknowledging the unique nature of Barrister’s Chambers as a collective of allied individuals rather than a singular corporate identity. Visually and acoustically, the chambers are reminiscent of domestic settings in recognition of the need for comfort during often very long hours of work. The public and shared areas however, needed to be cohesive and reflect a consistent aesthetic and experiential quality reflecting the shared values of the Barristers who came together to form the Chambers. These values included an important aspiration for the project - to make an environment sensitive to the often extremely stressful situations that many of the Barristers’ clients face, including significant fines or prison sentences. To meet this need, we were careful to avoid cues or symbols of institutional, corporate or legal settings, and focused on making the spaces quiet, soft, private and natural. They are dignified, but not intimidating.
