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Architects: MoreySmith
- Area: 144500 ft²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Hufton + Crow, Philip Durrant, Fiona Smallshaw
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Manufacturers: Kvadrat Soft Cells, Boon Edam, GD Stones, Grestec, Havwoods, Kone, Mass Concrete, Optima, Putney & Wood, SAS International, Tellings, Vitrine Systems
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Architecture & Design: Linda Morey-Burrows, Andrew McCann, Mike Sirivianos, Matthew Tozzi, Dani Salamon, Robert Percy, Henry Philippou, Teresa Harding
Text description provided by the architects. The striking redesign of Henrietta House was born out of MoreySmith’s vision to transform the existing space into a workplace of the future – to be home to global property agent CBRE’s 2,000 London based employees. First constructed in the 1990s, Henrietta House had been used by CBRE for over 10 years and was no longer fit for their evolving needs and growing workforce. The business needed an aspirational HQ that employees could be proud of prioritising collaboration, wellbeing and client-facing interaction.
MoreySmith utilised innovative architectural solutions to expand the building by 40,500 sq ft over a former retail loading bay while refurbishing the existing concrete structure. This enabled the studio to significantly increase the floorplan of Henrietta House to introduce state-of-the-art features without the need for major demolition.
To encourage cross-team collaboration and facilitate a flexible-working culture, MoreySmith introduced a range of working environments to give people the freedom to choose the set-up most suited to their day. This includes a University-style library for quiet and contemplative working, created from reclaimed space from electrical plant services.
Also on the seventh floor, a client entertainment and pitch suite has been constructed with designated space for private dining and intimate events. A connecting terrace offers unparalleled views of Bond Street and London’s skyline. In the new light filled atriums to the rear of the building, a central café serves as the social hub of Henrietta House with space for al-fresco dining and informal meetings by day, and buzzing events by night. Extending onto outdoor terraces, an abundance of greenery and wild planting offers an escape to nature in the heart of the city.
Space on the lower ground floor has been transformed into a Wellness Centre, with a staff gym and spin studio offering professionally run classes, as well as a mental health suite and bicycle storage. Bespoke art from a diverse range of artists is featured throughout the building with a stand-out piece from ceramic artist Fernando Casasempere suspended weightlessly above the reception. Made from 2,000 pieces of hand-moulded porcelain, Murmuration, references the migratory patterns of birds and the movement of CBRE’s workforce throughout Henrietta House.
Working in collaboration with CBRE and landlord Lazari Investments, the redesign led by MoreySmith has transformed the working culture of the business while leaving the smallest environmental footprint possible. Construction ensured sustainability was considered from the outset, with the use of sustainably sourced timber, 100% LED lighting and solar panels to provide a renewable energy source. The building is now on track to achieve Platinum WELL certification and BREEAM Excellent.
After four years of construction, Henrietta House is an exceptional case study of design-led refurbishment that has used the best of the old to create something entirely modern and new. The finished product has been transformational to the original structure and has reset the standard of modern workplaces for the post-pandemic workforce.
