The Listening Place

HOP Works was appointed to design and deliver a new service centre for The Listening Place, a charity that provides face-to-face support for people who are struggling.

With growing demand for their services, the new building on Cobb Street in the heart of Spitalfields is their biggest site yet, offering 3,500 square feet of space.

The brief centred on balance as the space needed to cost-effectively serve two functions. It needed to feel calm, warm and reassuring for visitors using the service, while also functioning as an efficient workplace for staff and volunteers.

Far from a typical office, it called for nine private listening rooms across two floors, with strong acoustic separation and high levels of cellularisation to protect sensitive, one-to-one conversations.

Alongside this, the building needed to support a large, volunteer-led team, bringing people together under one roof with the right mix of meeting and workspace to support the vital work they deliver across London.

As an existing gym, we carried out a full strip out back to shell and core, removing the former gym fit-out and installing complete new mechanical and electrical systems. Existing distribution boards and pipework were outdated and unfit for use, so all services were upgraded to current standards, ensuring long-term reliability and safety.

For the space to act as a welcoming and helpful service centre for their visitors, we had to meet strict privacy requirements. We designed and built nine calm listening rooms, balancing heavy cellularisation with a sense of warmth and comfort. Lighting was deliberately ambient, avoiding spotlights to create a multi-sensory, calming environment. Rooms were named using colour themes, carefully selected to feel soft and reassuring rather than clinical.

Flexibility was built in the ground floor workspace for their team through a folding wall within the main meeting room, allowing the space to expand or divide as needed for training, meetings and day-to-day volunteer use.

A new passenger lift was introduced, alongside a full bathroom refurbishment, delivering inclusive access throughout the building.

Branding was integrated in collaboration with the charity’s marketing team, ensuring it felt clear but subtle. Comfort was prioritised across every area, from appointment rooms to breakout spaces, and the arrival experience. The project was developed with input from the entire team that would be using the space, to ensure it was designed and delivered just right.

We remained focused on providing a cost-effective solution, spending every pound wisely. This was supported by generous donations and discounts from partners and suppliers.

A huge thanks to Showcase and their suppliers: Hushoffice, who donated a two-person meeting pod, WSOF for free desking, Edsbyn for supplying chairs for breakout and teapoint areas, and Swedese for donating an arrival chair. Our team is also proud to have contributed time and expertise to help maximise impact within budget.