grants the certificate), the designers needed
to raise the bar from BCO requirements
when it came to elements such as fresh air
supply (achieved using an MVHR system).
Reaching Well requirements means 14 litres
per second, compared with 12 litres per
second for BCO.
A further constraint from the
targeting the Well standard was actually
a “nice limitation,” says Eaglesham,
namely that materials needed to be as
natural as possible, and certified. “It makes
it harder to find the (natural, durable and
sustainable) materials, there’s less available
to you, but what there is is very nice.”
Mayfair’s “rich past” was used for
inspiration, with classic materials such as
marble and brass complemented by more
modern counterparts like chevron carpet,
ash and Douglas fir for flooring and
bespoke joinery, and black aluminium for
frames to partitions and doors.Outside
The repainting of the brick facade on
Heddon Street (the Regent Street facade is
Portland stone) was the only element where
the heritage element posed a challenge,
reports Jon Eaglesham. “We wanted to take
the paint off and restore the brick, but it
had deteriorated too much. So we
repainted, but it took a very long time to
agree the colour.” In the end, a lively
red was chosen, contrasting with pale stone
window surrounds.
The spacious new terrace, accessed from
the fifth floor, creates a “rare outdoor
amenity in Mayfair,” say the architects. It
required removing the roof slab, extending
the mansard roof up by a metre and a half
to protect the space, and rebuilding the
party wall. Phase 2 of the project, which
is about to begin, will see a pavilion
created here to add to the planting and
furniture, enable more year-round use for
work or socialising, so it “becomes an
extension of the building rather than just an
outdoor space.”Conclusion
The litmus test of a project like this, in
terms of success for its client – located as it
is in an expensive part of town – is
occupancy, and the rate since completion
has been “brilliant,” attests the project
architect. The spaces have “a real buzz and
vibe,” says Eaglesham, now seeing a wide
range of businesses, from one-man startups
to bigger firms, flourishing in its relaxed but
professional interiors.
As well as winning the Hubble Awards’Health & Wellness Award, the project has
been shortlisted in several awards schemes.
These are the 2019 BCO Awards (London
Region), two categories in the NLA (New
London Architecture) Awards – Workplace,
and the Wellbeing Prize – and the AJ Retrofit
Awards (Office 2000-5000 ft^2 category). The
scheme is on the way to receiving its Well
Platinum certification, which will confirm it
as truly world-class in terms of wellness
among coworking offerings.
One Heddon Street certainly represents a
big shift for The Crown Estate, which
as Eaglesham says, could previously have
been seen as “a very traditional landlord
client.” He concludes that while this
arguably remains true, this project shows
they are also “establishing themselves as a
leader in providing best in class flexible
office space.” PROJECT FACTFILEArchitects / interior designers: Barr
Gazetas
Client: The Crown Estate
Project manager: Dendy Byrne
QS: Burnley Wilson Fish
M&E engineers: Mecserve
Structural engineer: Waterman
Austin Murphy
Contractor: BW
Well AP: Cundall
Net internal -oor area: 22,012 ft^2
Flexible booths: 13
No. of trees planted: 6
Cycle spaces: 34PROJECT REPORT: COMMERCIAL & WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS 27ADF AUGUST 2019 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK(^)