A Central London office building, revamped to turn a historic single-business office into several separate spaces, now sports a modern face-lift designed to appeal to prospective customers. Architects from Sturgis Associates LLP, London, England, installed private balconies on the 33 Kingsway building with backlit, color-changing fabric ceilings. The new look updates the exterior, draws attention to the building with color and adds an outdoor amenity that urban office dwellers appreciate.

To ensure that the fabric ceiling panels would diffuse the light from rows of color-changing LEDs, the contractor, Fabric Architecture, tested different materials before recommending Silicone Glass Weave (SGW) fabric. Fabric Architecture Ltd., Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England, installed 30 SGW exterior fabric ceiling panels (six per balcony, five balconies). Panels were engineered to recess into the balcony soffits using the steel support from the building. The colorful light show, complemented by a modern interior retrofit, gives the historic building a contemporary flair.