23-24 Newman Street completed for Great Portland Estates plc

Emrys Architects has completed a mixed-use development in the West End of London for Great Portland Estates plc

The retrofit and conversion of a 1970s office building, which sits in a conservation area just north of Oxford Street, has provided sixteen private and seven affordable residential apartments with office accommodation on the ground and lower ground floors over 2,322 m2 (25,000 sq ft). Building contractor Knight Harwood completed on programme and affordable housing provider A2Dominion found occupiers in advance of completion. The majority of the private apartments were sold off-plan with Knight Frank now marketing the remaining penthouses.

The existing building was a concrete structure clad in stainless steel with no visual redeeming features. Emrys Architects’ scheme introduced a stone-clad elevation on Newman Street, re-modelling existing horizontal bands to form balconies allowing it to sit comfortably within the vertical Georgian street pattern.  The rear elevation, which sits in a mews-scale streetscape populated by workshop-type buildings, is rendered and timber clad with aluminium windows reinforcing the semi-industrial street scene.

The flats are generously sized especially for their location, the penthouses being planned on two floors feel very spacious at 240 m2  and 120 m2 each with large private terraces enjoying stunning views across London. The clean design augments this feeling of spaciousness. The penthouses have ‘seemless’ white bathrooms with limestone floors flowing into Corian units and luxurious stand alone baths.

Glyn Emrys, Director of Emrys Architects says “We are delighted with the result. The scheme has breathed new life into an outmoded building – meeting sustainability objectives including EcoHomes and Breeam ‘Very Good’ standards – and reenergised the local area, bringing much needed diversity into this neighbourhood.’

Sustainability measures include super-insulation of external walls, solar panels providing hot water and grey-water recycling. Green roofs and biodiversity measures are also included. Emrys says ‘The existing building had no energy saving measures so by careful re-use of the concrete frame and introduction of relatively inexpensive green features we’ve created very efficient 21^st century homes’.