Inside the design of Soho House Stockholm

Converting an old church into a warm and enticing House is no easy feat, as the Soho House Design Team – led by Marcus Barwell, Managing Director of Soho House Design – discovered when designing and developing Soho House Stockholm. The team had been actively looking for a property in Stockholm for over a year before they found the former Methodist church, which dates back to 1894, in Majorsgatan. ‘The plan was never to convert an old church building,’ the Design Team explain. ‘We knew the site would come with some challenges. But it was also clear that this space could become something very special indeed.’

Maintaining the charm – not to mention the historic significance – of the building’s original features was absolutely paramount. Large areas of the building ¬– the facade and the main church hall, for instance – were heritage protected. This meant they had to be kept almost untouched. Rather than trying to work against such restrictions, the team embraced these features, making them the cornerstone for the whole design process. ‘Our aim wasn’t to only maintain these original features, but to celebrate and restore them to their former glory,’ they say. As a result, the original high vaulted ceilings, intricate stained-glass windows, original columns and painted detailing on the stone walls are all still intact. 

Naturally, it wasn’t all plain sailing. ‘Creating vertical circulation throughout the building – basically, how members move between the different floors of the House – without affecting the integrity of the existing church hall posed a problem,’ note the team. ‘The original stairs between the main church hall floor and the mezzanine floor were too narrow so a second staircase had to be added to comply with modern day fire regulations.’ 

The Design Team’s original proposal featured a monumental brass-clad staircase, right in the centre of the church hall. This wasn’t well received by the heritage board of the city of Stockholm. What followed was a lengthy approval process, trialling many different locations and materials. But the exercise more than delivered, and ‘the discreet timber and black steel staircase tucked under the mezzanine is much more complementary to the existing building than our original proposal was.’

For Barwell and his team, it was important for Soho House Stockholm to really feel like it belonged to its location. In fact, all our Houses are intended to reflect the culture, city and membership bases they exist within. The team begins the development process of any new House by spending time in the city and soaking up what makes it quite so special. From there, they begin to define the key design pillars of the space. ‘Sometimes these are evident from the very first site visit. Other times, they take a bit more research and discussion,’ they explain. ‘Either way, they become the driving force of every design decision throughout the process.’

Next, the team begin to lay out the club. This can be an incredibly busy period, as bars and kitchens move locations, change size and are presented in different design iterations – all to create the very best space for members. Following these key layout decisions, the real fun begins: mood boards for the identity of each space are developed and the team begin to visualise what the House will ultimately look like.

The Soho House Design Team always go above and beyond to deliver on this vision – and despite its challenges, Stockholm was no exception to that. The oversized, four-tier linen pendant hanging from the House’s vaulted ceiling – designed by Swedish designer Sofia Olsson and Copenhagen-based American designer Cassandra Bradfield especially for the space – ‘was so large that it had to be made in sections and assembled on site,’ say the team, ‘but it was important to us that joints between each section weren’t visible through the translucent fabric. After trying a few options in different mock-ups, it became clear that the pieces would have to be hand sewn.’ Needs must, so come install day two seamstresses joined the on-site team and worked hard to sew the tiers together – the ultimate finishing touch.

‘The design process is never truly complete,’ note the team. ‘Houses are tweaked and adapted even after opening – sometimes it’s only when we see how a space is used day-to-day that we can know everything that’s needed.’ In Stockholm for example, the team added some thick curtains to the back room in Cecconis to create a private dining room shortly after the House opened. It wasn’t in the original design – but it helped to improve the space. 

For the Design Team, that’s what it’s all about: creating spaces our members love and can’t wait to spend time in.

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