Popping-in?

Our studio is filled with light and music.
There are multiple meeting rooms, a well stocked kitchen, and an indoor garden (with fishpond). Talk to us about access needs, environmental factors and any accommodations we might make to enhance your visit. Pop-in for tea and stay to use a spare desk for as long as you need.

11 Greenwich Centre Business Park,
53 Norman Road, Greenwich
London SE10 9QF

Cog is a Certified B Corporation

Public transport

We’re next to Greenwich train and DLR station. We have a door right on the concourse but it’s different to our postal address. Find us via: what3words.com/hungry.means.author

From Greenwich rail platform

This video shows the route to take from the train that will arrive at Greenwich rail station from London Bridge. There's a gentle slope next to the staircase.

From Greenwich DLR station

This video shows the route to take from the DLR that will arrive at Greenwich DLR station from Bank. There's a lift at the platform level if that's useful.

By car

If you have to come by car, we have a couple of parking spaces. We have a charging point that you are welcome to use if you have an electric car. Call ahead and we'll make sure the spaces are free. Use our postcode (SE10 9QF) to guide you in.

Get in touch

We’d love to hear from you. Use whichever medium works best for you.

11 Greenwich Centre Business Park,
53 Norman Road, Greenwich
London SE10 9QF

Cog is a Certified B Corporation

New project enquiry

It's exciting to chat about potential new projects. We don't have a ‘sales’ team or a form to fill in. Call us or give us a little detail via email and we'll get straight back to you.

enquiry@cogdesign.com

Website support

If you're a client then you'll be best served by calling us or contacting us via ClickUp, otherwise you can use this dedicated email that reaches all of the digital team.

digital@cogdesign.com

Finance questions

This email hits the inboxes of the people who deal with our bookkeeping and finances.

accounts@cogdesign.com

Just want a chat?

Sometimes enquiries don't fall neatly under a heading, do they?

hello@cogdesign.com

Cultural Calendar

A round-up of recommendations and reviews, sent on the first Friday of each month, topped-off with a commissioned image from a talented new illustrator. Sign-up and tell your friends.

Sign me up Cultural Calendar

Cog News

An irregular update of activity from our studio. Showing off about great new projects, announcements, job opportunities, that sort of thing. Sign-up and tell your friends.

Sign me up Cog News

Skate at Somerset House

Skate at Somerset House

November’s Cog Night was a skate around the courtyard at Somerset House. Nazma and Lily share their thoughts.

Nazma:

This was my first visit to Somerset House and I felt the magnificence of the place upon entering the courtyard. We arrived a little early and got to watch the previous session’s skaters on the ice under the colourful lights. Bags dropped off at the cloakroom and shoes exchanged for skates, we watched as the rink was smoothed out for us and made fresh ready for its next set of skaters.

SKATE at Somerset House. SKATE at Somerset House.

Then off we went! At different paces as we each warmed up to the ice and got into our glide. Often meeting each other around the sides as we stopped for a break. I found myself stopping pretty often, partly because I was tired, but also because I really enjoyed people-watching from the sidelines. I managed to avoid falling, but did have a close almost-slip at the barrier.

We handed over our shoes and strapped on our skates. We handed over our shoes and strapped on our skates.
Good things:  the lights, the freedom and fun of skating, watching the really good skaters in awe, feeling proud I managed my own little shuffle round the rink.
Room for improvement: the music choices, it was a really mixed selection, some songs killed my vibe and skating spirit, other uplifted me and got me into a good rhythm.
I can see why it’s so popular, it’s a a beautiful space to be in and I enjoyed hearing the anecdotes from Alex and Lily’s times working and studying here.
Alex, Lottie and Emma were like ducks to water. Alex, Lottie and Emma were like ducks to water.

Lily:

Unlike Nazma, I’d been ice skating at Somerset House before, albeit years ago as a student at The Courtauld. The past experience didn’t give me much of an advantage – I still fell over twice. In spite of that, I had a tremendous time. The 45 minutes on the rink absolutely flew by, and I’d have happily stayed on well past the allotted slot.

The atmosphere on the rink was wonderful. Everyone was laughing their way around, and didn’t seem to mind being bumped into on occasion.

 

Lottie was a natural on the ice. Lottie was a natural on the ice.

I agree with Nazma that the experience could’ve been improved by a more consistent soundtrack. Just as I managed to hit my stride, the tempo would change and I’d lose confidence. That said, I can’t claim that the right playlist would’ve made me a pro-skater, and I’m truly grateful that we weren’t subjected to back-to-back Christmas hits.

The rink is sponsored by Switzerland Tourism, and the website boasts that visitors can expect “Specially curated sessions inspired by the Swiss regions of Bern, Lucerne and Valais”. I know very little about Swiss cantons, and I can’t pretend to know which one our session was inspired by. It was lovely though, and did have an alpine feel about it.

If skating isn’t your thing it’s still worth going along to watch. Somerset House’s neoclassical courtyard is spectacular, its magnificence added to by the beautifully lit ice rink and 40ft Christmas tree (decorated by Swiss International Air Lines).

Ice-smoothing courtesy of Switzerland Tourism.  Ice-smoothing courtesy of Switzerland Tourism.

Exiting the rink after our session, relieved that no bones had been broken or fingers had been severed, we headed out onto the Strand. Despite being November, the Christmas lights were up in their full glory. This definitely added to the festive spirit of the evening. We ducked into the Lyceum Tavern and settled into a cosy booth to laugh about our skating abilities over a pint.

I can highly recommend a trip to Skate at Somerset House. In fact, I’m already thinking of fitting in another visit before Christmas.

Christmas lights on the Strand. Christmas lights on the Strand.

Jessica Meyrick created our illustration, see more work on their website.