Asset Strategy

4SA delivered both the Cat A base build for the landlord and the Cat B fit-out for the tenant, wine merchant Justerini & Brooks, working on the two simultaneously and carrying detailed knowledge of the building between them.

The base build strengthened historic timber floor joists of differing ages to carry enhanced fire compartmentation between floors, capped off services to suit the incoming tenant and avoid later rework, and reclaimed usable space at ground floor from a former protected route. With a single escape route and no secondary exit, the practice concealed a fire curtain within an intricate piece of joinery finished with traditional mouldings, sectioning off part of the floor so that furniture and bottles can be displayed in the ground floor boutique.

For the tenant, the fit-out conceals function on every floor to keep the finish uninterrupted, from a wet bar and pantry behind panelled doors to rotating bookcases that screen a mechanical riser and a bottle display that slides out to reach the server cabinet. Integrated mirrors expand the small floorplate, credenzas absorb services and storage, and a tasting room with a bespoke wine cooler sits within the existing arched ceiling cellar.

Heritage Approach

The building is unlisted but sits within the St James's Conservation Area. Original mouldings, wall panelling and skirting had been lost over the years, so 4SA reinstated them, restoring the interior to the grandeur of a London townhouse. Bespoke niches for the tenant's paintings were designed into the fit-out. 4SA also assisted the tenant in positioning their collection, including the royal warrants displayed along the staircase. Bespoke four-panel fire doors with brass ironmongery quietly meet fire regulations without disturbing the period character.