The brief
Central London Samaritans, the founding branch of the Samaritans movement, has refurbished a two-storey building to create a new headquarters in the heart of Marylebone. The project has transformed a vacant building into a 24 hour, 365 days a year centre of support for volunteers and visitors, featuring carefully specified flooring solutions designed to balance performance, aesthetics and wellbeing.
After 37 years in Soho, central London Samaritans required a new home that could reflect its mission and accommodate the unique operational demands of a round-the-clock call centre including a call centre. face-to-face meeting rooms, overnight facilities and breakout spaces for its dedicated volunteers.
This project aimed to design a building that not only supports the intense functional requirements of Samaritan’s care service, but also create a setting where volunteers feel at ease and supported.
Client: Central London Samaritans
Architects: Murphy Philipps Associates LLP
Contractor: Pall Mall Projects
Sector: Workplace
Area: 240m2
Floor pictured: Warm Brushed Oak Herringbone
The concept
As a 24/7, 365 days a year operational building, durability and ease of maintenance were vital considerations. Karndean flooring’s resilience to heavy foot traffic, comfort underfoot and low-maintenance surface made it ideally suited to the high-demand setting.
Karndean flooring has played a key role in defining the interiors throughout the building. Paired with soft carpets in quieter rooms such as the waiting area and phone room, the use of contrasting wood and stone design flooring options reinforces the idea of moving between shared lively spaces and more private restful ones.
Alongside natural textures, curved walls, timber accents and a palette inspired by nature and the Samaritans’ branding, Karndean flooring has been used to create an environment that feels both functional and deeply comforting.
Floor pictured: Warm Brushed Oak Herringbone
The look
Opting for Warm Brushed Oak from the Van Gogh dual format range in a combination of plank and herringbone formats, the flooring has created a feel of cohesion whilst giving each area its own identity. The handcrafted emboss and neutral tones of Warm Brushed Oak have provided a homely yet practical finish, with circulation spaces featuring full-length planks for flow and clarity while the breakout zone and mini library nook showcase a herringbone floor for additional texture and warmth.
Honed Pebble Slate from the Knight Tile range was chosen for the busier lobby and WC areas. With its subtle fractured detailing and smooth surface, the stone-inspired design serves to add character and depth without overpowering the space. Together, these finishes offered the designers the flexibility to tailor flooring to specific functional needs while maintaining a natural aesthetic throughout.
Jeremy Marcus, project director at Samaritans, said: “Karndean flooring was the perfect choice for our new home. The product has introduced a modern professional finish that enhances both our public and back-of-house spaces. The natural look and feel of the flooring definitely exceeded our expectations. Volunteers and visitors alike have commented on how welcoming and high quality the space feels.”
Floor pictured: Warm Brushed Oak Herringbone
Sarah Mizran, architectural designer at Murphy Philipps Associates LLP, explained: “We were commissioned to design a building that not only supports the intense functional requirements of Samaritan’s care service, but also create a setting where volunteers feel at ease and supported. Specifying Karndean flooring has enabled us to achieve both, combining a hard wearing surface with a natural calming aesthetic.”
Looking for more case studies? Take a look here.
