Central London Samaritans

Central London Samaritans at 13 Salisbury Place is the new head office of the founding branch of the Samaritans.

The client, Central London Samaritans, is a charity dedicated to providing 24/7 emotional support to reducing feelings of isolation that can lead to suicide. Murphy Philipps was commissioned with designing and remodelling their new head office location at 13 Salisbury Place.

The project brief entailed that the building should be seen as an opportunity to engage with the community. and present opportunities to create space that encourages greater levels of communication within the organisation. The space should feel warm, friendly, and welcoming for all users, especially for the volunteers. Finally, the building represents a window into the variety of activities that take place from the centre, not only for external visitors, but also for volunteers and staff.

To address the brief, the design draws inspiration from nature and the concept of ‘Hygge’ reinforcing the “home away from home” feeling. We also drew inspiration from the charity’s branding colours, especially green, to create grounded finishes and material palette.

We’ve incorporated glazed screens in key areas to allow natural light to flow throughout the space, forming gentle boundaries while fostering a sense of connection between volunteers and staff.

This project presented several challenges, starting with the narrow and linear form of the existing site, which initially posed spatial restrictions. However, this constraint also offered an opportunity to create a connected sequence of spaces with a natural, linear flow.

A significant extent of mechanical and electrical work was required due to the building's change of use, primarily the introduction of sleeping accommodation. Additionally, being located within a conservation area and due to the nature of spaces having private and confidential conversations necessitated high acoustic requirements. These considerations informed our interior design strategy, where acoustic panels were thoughtfully integrated not only to meet performance needs but also to contribute to the character and identity of the space.