Frequently asked questions

Penthouse hire from £120/hour includes the full 250 m² loft, private terrace, smart lighting, furniture, kitchen access, climate control, 1 Gbps Wi-Fi, the 85" 4K screen, and ceiling audio. Production equipment, on-site crew support, and catering are available as add-ons.

A 50% deposit secures your booking. Cancellations made more than 14 days before the hire date receive a full deposit refund. Cancellations within 14 days are non-refundable. Full terms are shared with your booking confirmation.

Etienne Morax, photographer and filmmaker, can provide on-site coordination, equipment staging, and creative support when the brief calls for it. Production support is scoped around your session and quoted alongside the venue hire.

The penthouse accommodates up to 30 guests. Seated and standing layouts are confirmed to the brief so service and guest flow remain comfortable. For production bookings, around 30 people can work comfortably on site, depending on the setup.

Old Street station (Northern Line) is a four-minute walk. Nearby street parking and day parking options can be arranged in advance where needed. Short unloading outside the building is possible by arrangement, and a goods lift provides direct load-in access.

You are welcome to bring your own catering or use a preferred supplier. We can also connect you with trusted local catering partners. The kitchen is fully equipped for food preparation and service.

The penthouse is in a residential building. Music and amplified sound must be kept at a considerate level after 22:00. Evening events are welcome; we simply ask that noise remains respectful to neighbours. Details are confirmed at booking.

Absolutely. Many production teams arrive with their own camera, lighting, and grip packages. The goods lift accommodates heavy kit. Our on-site equipment catalogue is entirely optional, available if you want to supplement your setup or travel lighter.

Overnight access can be arranged for productions that require extended hours. This is handled on a case-by-case basis; share your schedule in your enquiry and we will confirm feasibility and any adjusted pricing.

A lift provides access to the fifth floor. Please note there is a small threshold at the main entrance door and terrace access, so the space may not be fully step-free throughout. Guests with specific mobility requirements should contact us prior to booking so we can confirm current access details.

Smoking is not permitted inside the penthouse. It is welcome on the terrace and in outside areas.

Small dogs are welcome at the penthouse.

Yes. Outside catering is welcome. The kitchen is fully equipped for food preparation and service. Catering prep, service, and clean-down can all take place on site.

The Designer's Penthouse is a 250 m² industrial penthouse venue on the fifth floor of a converted factory in Old Street, London EC2A. It combines south-facing natural light, exposed steel beams, and a 35 m² private rooftop terrace with production-ready infrastructure including smart lighting, 63A power, an 85-inch 4K display, and goods-lift access. The space is used for photo shoots, film production, brand campaigns, meetings, workshops, dinners, and private events for up to 30 guests. Hire starts from £120 per hour.

The Designer's Penthouse is located at City Lofts, 112–116 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4LE. Old Street station on the Northern Line is a four-minute walk. The building has a private ground-floor entrance and a goods lift for production load-in. The full address and access instructions are shared after your booking is confirmed.

Unlike white-box studios, the penthouse offers six distinct visual zones within a single 250 m² space, reducing location changes and setup time for shoots. Unlike conventional meeting rooms, it provides natural light, a private terrace, and an absence of corporate-office feel. The space is founder-operated, meaning every booking is handled directly with fast replies, tailored quoting, and practical production knowledge.

Yes. The meeting setup includes a ClickShare CX-30 for wireless screen mirroring, an Owl Pro 360° video conferencing camera with built-in speaker, eight ceiling surround speakers, and a 1 Gbps symmetric fibre connection. Remote participants can join via any standard video platform while on-site attendees use the 85-inch 4K display.

The penthouse works best for photo shoots, filmed interviews, brand content days, corporate off-sites, team workshops, board meetings, product launches, private dinners, and small-scale events for up to 30 guests. It is particularly strong for bookings that need natural light, architectural character, and a quiet, controlled setting. It is not ideal for large-scale events over 30 people or loud music events after 10 pm.

Yes. Public liability cover is carried for The Designer's Penthouse, and a copy of the policy is available on request prior to booking. Productions of higher value or specific scope can request a named-insured addendum for the shoot or event — share the requirement in your enquiry and we will confirm with the broker.

We review each booking's brief and production plan before confirming. For shoots with special rigging, stunts, pyrotechnics, or large-scale setups, we provide a site-specific risk assessment and walk through access, evacuation routes, and load-in protocols on arrival. Standard shoots, meetings, and events are covered by the venue's operational procedures, which can be shared on request.

1 Gbps symmetric dedicated broadband through the building's fibre provider, with 99.9% uptime SLA. Live-streams, simultaneous HD uploads, and multi-device conferencing run without issue. A 4G/5G fallback can be arranged on request for mission-critical productions where a network outage would stop the day.