In May, the 11 staff members of Freehaus all happily gathered at the office to work together in the same space for the first time. Before the pandemic, the practice, led by Tom Bell and Jonathan Hagos, were just five in number, but, thanks to competition wins during lockdown—most notably for the City of London School revamp in 2021, in collaboration with Morris+Company—they have expanded and are now back, with an office in the heart of the creative district of Shoreditch. “I always remember how fun it used to be, working in this area,” says Bell, who began his career at WilkinsonEyre, in offices on nearby Old Street. “When you are starting out in your career, it’s just good to be connected,” he says. “Working from home has definitely taken its emotional toll on people,” adds Hagos. For a practice that engages with the complexity and dynamism of a city, it is a good moment.