Pilbrow & Partners, on behalf of PPR Estates, transformed a lacklustre 1960’s commercial office into an elegant mixed use apartment building with ground floor co-working space.

The site’s context was sensitive; with the office block being adjacent to multiple Grade II* Listed buildings at 1-3 Robert Street.

An unsightly existing roof plant is consolidated into a new sixth floor volume that provides an appropriate resolution to the street façades.

Internally, the existing building is mixed-use, with two floors of residential area set above offices. The proposals expand the residential provision to floors 1 through 6 and create refurbished offices at ground and lower ground floor level. Each use is provided with its own front door, with the residential lobby entrance adorning John Adam Street while offices are accessed from York Buildings.

Externally, the proposals remodel the exterior of the building to establish a well-balanced and well-proportioned form in townscape views. Materially, a natural stone and brick elevation replaces the failing pre-cast concrete façade.