Asset Strategy

Spread across the ground and lower-ground floors, this workspace unit was a labyrinthine collection of small rooms, multiple staircases and meandering corridors. Paired with its tired fir out, it had failed to let for years. The proposal was to divide the large fragmented floor plate into three self-contained smaller units, re-instating the original front doors from the street, and creating an arrangement more akin to how the building would have been subdivided originally. The result, after new services, tea-points, WC’s and a new fire strategy were implemented, was that each unit was simpler to navigate, occupy and let.  As a result, all three units were pre-let.

Heritage Approach

Dividing protected interiors in a Grade I listed building is not a routine consent, because internal layouts are protected alongside the external fabric. Following pre-application advice with City of Westminster, 4SA's heritage evidence demonstrated that little historic fabric survived internally and that reinstating the separations restored something closer to the building's original arrangement. Listed building consent was granted. Lighting was recessed into a slimmer ceiling void to lift ceiling heights above the arched street-front windows to create a soaring Orangery like arcade with views of Regent’s Park. The repetitive arched pattern of these windows is echoed in the bespoke fan coil unit covers. Bespoke timber trunking, matched to the existing skirting profiles, conceals new service runs to new fan coil units which were strategically positioned to reduce lengths of visible runs.

Sustainability

A building that had stood empty for years is now back in active use, offering workspace directly alongside Regent's Park with green outlooks that few central London offices can match, an asset for daily wellbeing as much as for letting. Inside, the new herringbone flooring is FSC certified and FloorScore certified for low emissions, a considered choice for indoor air quality in spaces people use every day.

Testimonial

“4SA have acted as lead designer on complex office refurbishment schemes on Grade II listed buildings. The nature of historic listed buildings makes design and installation challenging, but 4SA delivered displaying high standards and professionalism throughout the projects, from brief and concept design to technical design and construction. The attention to detail for tender and onsite is excellent and when variations arise, 4SA are quick to adapt and respond. From a Project Manager’s perspective, 4SA are a great addition to the team.”

Tom, Project Manager

Read more about our planning journey here, and the completion of our Cat B fit-out here.