Offices with a Clubhouse Charm

Two souls coexist at 78 St. James’s Street in London:
a Victorian-era palace, constructed in 1840 and protected as a Grade II Listed Property, and a modern office building constructed in 2001 and equipped to meet the requirements of a smart and contemporary workplace.

The project by Squire & Partners, commissioned by the real estate investment group BentallGreenOak, renovated and expanded this dualist architecture, strengthening the link between the two buildings. The project resulted in a modern and collaborative workplace that features 9,300 sq. m of office space, as well as an additional 930 sq. m offering various environments that meet the needs of a wide variety of users, 24 hours a day. 

The project is located in the heart of the city of Westminster, a few steps from the famous Pall Mall, a street known for being the home of one of the oldest “gentleman’s clubs” in the city. It is for this reason that it recalls the typical Clubhouse style and that classic elegance characteristic of English clubs. The project involved work both on the building’s exterior, which was restored to bring back the beauty of the natural stone of the historic façade, and interior. The entrance lobby of the modern building was reorganized and expanded in order to connect with the sumptuous rooms of the historic wing, strengthening the relationship between the historical portion and the addition. Featuring inviting couches, screens and coffee tables, the lobby immediately conveys a sense of luxurious comfort and a contemporary feel. Adjacent to it is the Saloon, the compositional pivot of the architecture: a multi-volume space, it culminates in a dome on the fourth floor which overlooks a circular gallery. Here, stucco, ornamentation and frescoes transmit the highest expression of Victorian architecture, enhanced by the contrasting contemporary furnishings upholstered in dark-colored velvet. Continuing on the same floor, there are a series of lounges and rooms for informal meetings and relaxation, most notably the business lounge called the Morning Room. Everything was designed to evoke the atmosphere of a club, from the color palette – based on blues, greens, golds, grays and reds – to the materials like leather and velvet. 

For the building’s eight floors dedicated to workspaces, the renovation project’s guiding principles were flexibility, the possibility of personalization and reconfigurability. The fourth and fifth floor feature open-air terraces, in which one can relax and take in the panorama of London. On the sixth floor, the spectacle of the rooftop unfolds: equipped with approximately 325 sq. m indoor space and a terrace with plants and trees, it is a vantage point from which to enjoy unexpected views of Westminster and Green Park. Lastly, the basement floors are dedicated to well-being and relaxing, offering employees a workday far from the hectic pace that animates the City.

The project is located in the heart of the city of Westminster, a few steps from the famous Pall Mall, recalling the typical Clubhouse style and that classic elegance characteristic of English clubs. 

/12

×

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The project involved a Victorian-era palace protected as a Grade II Listed property of historical and cultural importance, located in the heart of Westminster.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The Morning Room is a lounge environment designed to recall the atmospheres of a Clubhouse, suitable for working individually, meeting guests, or having small informal meetings.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The cladding of the bar counter is a modern interpretation of a classic decor that pays homage to the history of the building.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The Saloon is a multi-volume environment that acts as a compositional pivot of the spaces and a connection point between the historical and modern wings of the building. It is decorated with rich frescoes, floors and moldings, and culminates in a dome whose extrados is visible on the eighth floor.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The interiors of the Morning Room feature the extensive use of textiles and tapestries: velvet, bouclé, moire fabrics and wall hangings evoke the sumptuousness of the building.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The color palette of the Morning Room recalls the hues of the Saloon: green, red, blue and gray create a relaxing and contemporary environment.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

On the rooftop there is an enclosed pavilion of approximately 325 sq. m, serving snacks and evening drinks.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

The basement houses the Collab Space: an environment equipped with a spa, dedicated to well-being and relaxation.

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

78 St. James’s Street Office - Jack Hobhouse, courtesy of Squire & Partners

On the sixth floor, spaces previously dedicated to machinery were recovered to create an outdoor rooftop featuring plants, trees, seating and couches.

Previous Next

You might also like:

CONTRACT & INTERIOR DESIGN 07

THE PLAN Interior Design & Contract 7 is the seventh supplement that THE PLAN has dedicated to these areas of architecture. The publication, to be released in September 2023 as a supplement to THE PLAN 148, looks at around twenty of the most importan... Read More

Paper Version

12.00 €

Add to cart

Digital version

5.49 €

Add to cart