Bush House & Aldwych Quarter, London WC2
The sensitive refurbishment of a four building historically significant office complex on the Strand.
Reinvigorating the Quarter
John Robertson Architects completed one of London’s largest retrofit projects at Aldwych Quarter, a historic complex of buildings centred around Bush House designed in 1919 and completed by 1935. Situated in Midtown and located between the City and the West End, the project was undertaken for Japanese owner Kato Kagaku, building upon the legacy of original architect Harvey W Corbett and American businessman Irving T Bush, as their vision for a world class business centre at Bush House. The challenging project removed the studios and offices which were the legacy of 70 years’ use as BBC World Service’s broadcasting headquarters to reveal a 90 year old icon of twenties London, still fit for its original purpose, reborn and ready for a new lease of life.
From life as a single tenant campus, each of the buildings has been carefully restored and imbued with an individual identity, comprising Grade II listed Bush House at its centre and the adjoining King House, Strand House and Melbourne House. Designed to offer a complete range of flexible accommodation from part floors to whole buildings, JRA has reinvigorated the Quarter into its second century. In 2015 King’s College London leased the buildings for their new Strand campus and commissioned JRA as architects.
Preserve
Originally envisioned as a world class business centre and hub for international commerce, Aldwych Quarter was a collaborative project between American developer Irving T Bush and architect Harvey W Corbett of Helmle and Corbett, designed simultaneously with the Bush Terminal Sales Building in Manhattan. When the central building, Bush House, was first completed in 1925 it was said to be the most expensive building in the world. The BBC World Service went on to occupy the site for 70 years from 1941.
To strip back and restore the buildings required 1,000 site operatives over 1.5 million hours of construction work over a period of two years. The dramatic scale of the project covered preservation and restoration of historically valuable elements including external Portland stone, bronze private posting boxes, art-deco light fittings and the world famous Malvina Hofmann sculpture over the main portico.
Modern Interventions
Aldwych Quarter comprises 42,000m2 of office space. Modern interventions were integrated seamlessly into each building to offer technology, services and facilities without detracting from the original historic character that is unique to the site. JRA created fully flexible open floor plates, and equipped each building with new lifts integrated into the retained travertine walls. The basement houses new air conditioning plant and new distribution risers have been carefully integrated into the existing fabric of the building. At roof level, JRA created new roof terraces, providing panoramic views of London from Bush House.
Identity
JRA created striking individual identities for the four buildings, with each named accordingly: Bush House, Melbourne House, King House, and Strand House. The team designed high quality receptions and lobbies using distinct colour and material palettes to complement their existing rich histories. The intervention ensured each could be let separately, removing the perception of a single tenant campus.
Sustainability
JRA incorporated a number of sustainable features, achieving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating in three of the four buildings. The new building services are fully integrated, future proofed and designed with low energy consumption and maintenance in mind. The Turbocor compressor chillers achieve efficiencies of up to 99%, and LED lighting reduces energy consumption with a lighting control system that maximises daylight and integrates presence detection. 319 secure bicycle parking spaces and changing facilities have also been provided.