Elizabeth House | London

Client: Courtenay Investments Ltd Value: £5m

Complex redevelopment of a 1950s office block in central London within Bloomsbury Conservation Area and adjacent to Greys Inn (Grade II* listed). gcp was commissioned to redevelop this 1950s office block in Central London to maximise site value and improve the energy performance to EPC B rating. Within the constraints of the Conservation Area, party walls to three sides, and Rights to Light issues, gcp secured planning permission for rear extensions and an additional two storeys with roof terraces.

gcp produced detailed designs to CAT A+ standard following strip-out of the building back to concrete frame. The scheme created 16,000sq ft over seven floors with core areas fitted-out to the highest standards. Landlocked with only pedestrian access, the scheme required a high level of coordination during design and construction as materials, including steel-work for the new roof structure, had to be delivered through a pedestrian doorway off Old Holborn, possible only on Sundays.

Services provided: Feasibility Study, Visual Impact Analysis, Planning Stage Design, Planning Application, Detailed Design, Principal Designer, Contract Administrator