Madeleine Milburn Agency relocates to Clapham

The Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency will be relocating in January 2020 from its current offices in Mayfair to Clapham, in a large conversion of a former metalworks factory, in order to expand the team and host industry events.

The premises, near Clapham Common, is described by the agency as “an eclectic mix of mid-century modern industrial and Scandinavian chic, combined with sophisticated comfort to facilitate a collaborative and enhanced working experience”.

The 2,500 sq ft space has been the subject of an extensive new fit-out, overseen by Madeleine Milburn’s brother Max Buston, who runs his eponymous design studio in central London. “His brief was to create an office space that brought joy to the people working there, with an open-plan culture but enough different areas to allow for peace and solitude when needed, as well as flexibility to work as an event space,” the agency said.

The space will also be used to host events with the agency’s authors, publishers and the wider industry after the agency moves there in January 2020. Three events for the first half of 2020 are currently being finalised, with details to be released soon.

©Max Buston Design

The agency has been based in Mayfair since 2013, but with a team of 12. It plans to expand further now it has now outgrown the current premises.

The new venue features steel shelves dating from the 1880s taken from the Bodleian Library in Oxford, with a colour scheme offering overtones of the agency’s brand  colours: a deep green, tan, off-whites and metal.

The agency’s founder and director Madeleine and m.d. Giles Milburn said: “We have many fond memories of Shepherd Market, but are incredibly excited about moving to The Factory. We place huge importance on staff happiness, and we wanted somewhere that was going to feel truly special every time we turned up to work. With Max’s invaluable help we have achieved this and we could not be more thrilled. But it’s as much an event space as a place of work: we want our authors to give talks here; we are looking forward to regular get-togethers with publishers from around the world and scouts; and it will be the venue for wider events too. The literary landscape of Clapham and its surroundings is vibrant – and growing ever more so – and we can’t wait to be at the centre of it, as The Factory becomes established as a hotbed of ideas, inspiration and innovation."

Buston described how his agency “had tremendous fun in designing a series of spaces, including workstations, reading, dining and event areas, meeting rooms and a telephone booth”. He added: “Upon arrival the visitor passes through MM Agency green metal gates, and is met with an axial viewpoint through the factory, where everything, including the busy workings of the office, are tantalisingly out of sight, carefully disguised by a series of bookcases and screens.”