First Love Foundation

Gensler designed a safe space for First Love Foundation, a support, advice, and advocacy charity, to continue their mission of tackling poverty in Tower Hamlets. The design strives to reflect the client’s goal of offering comfort and warmth to those in need. The ground floor client advice center is a new offering for the organization, which had previously been operating as Tower Hamlets Foodbank, serving the needs of those in most need in the Tower Hamlets community. This new “front of house” space needed to feel welcoming for visitors, offer privacy for confidential conversations, and guarantee clear, unobstructed sightlines throughout all areas for safety. A mix of pre-loved, donated furniture and a calming, muted colour palette help achieve a homely, personal, and intimate feel. Furniture suppliers, contractors, and volunteers came together on this project to give generously and creatively, successfully creating a new workplace “home” for First Love Foundation.