In 2010 Derwent London acquired the huge Central Cross complex on Tottenham Court Road. This late 1970s development was built as the headquarters of EMI, as well as housing retail space and a cinema along its Tottenham Court Road frontage.
Orms’ design for the building’s redevelopment was delivered in multiple phases allowing existing tenants to remain in occupation throughout the construction works.
These works consisted of:
– Two new and enlarged reception areas
– New 5 metre-high glass and perforated stainless steel façade to the ground floor building perimeter
– The conversion of recording studios, loading bay and basement carpark into Cat A office space
– A Cat A fit-out of six upper office floors
– The creation of three roof terraces
The project at 1 + 2 Stephen Street has completely transformed not only the building itself, but also the surrounding streetscape, creating a distinctive new place out of what was previously a dark and dingy street, and a new professional community of media occupiers in the heart of Fitzrovia.
It has also created some truly diverse and attractive office space within a range of volumes across the building. Floor to ceiling heights have been maximised throughout by keeping the services semi-exposed on bespoke floating metal rafts which compliment the raw and rugged character of the existing concrete framed building. Previously unusable ‘problem spaces’ have been transformed to create lettable, legible space from a complex series of volumes.
A lack of record information and the need to accommodate existing tenants and residents raised many practical challenges but careful investigation and phasing allowed the works to be completed with minimum disruption.
In 2010 Derwent London acquired the huge Central Cross complex on Tottenham Court Road. This late 1970s development was built as the headquarters of EMI, as well as housing retail space and a cinema along its Tottenham Court Road frontage.
Orms’ design for the building’s redevelopment was delivered in multiple phases allowing existing tenants to remain in occupation throughout the construction works.
These works consisted of:
– Two new and enlarged reception areas
– New 5 metre-high glass and perforated stainless steel façade to the ground floor building perimeter
– The conversion of recording studios, loading bay and basement carpark into Cat A office space
– A Cat A fit-out of six upper office floors
– The creation of three roof terraces
The project at 1 + 2 Stephen Street has completely transformed not only the building itself, but also the surrounding streetscape, creating a distinctive new place out of what was previously a dark and dingy street, and a new professional community of media occupiers in the heart of Fitzrovia.
It has also created some truly diverse and attractive office space within a range of volumes across the building. Floor to ceiling heights have been maximised throughout by keeping the services semi-exposed on bespoke floating metal rafts which compliment the raw and rugged character of the existing concrete framed building. Previously unusable ‘problem spaces’ have been transformed to create lettable, legible space from a complex series of volumes.
A lack of record information and the need to accommodate existing tenants and residents raised many practical challenges but careful investigation and phasing allowed the works to be completed with minimum disruption.
Simon Whittaker
Director