London School of Economics
A magnificent renovation and remodelling of the existing Edwardian building transformed this former Public Trustee’s office into a world-class teaching building. Spanning between Kingsway and Lincoln Inn’s Fields in Holborn, its prominent location is fitting to the role it plays in the environment.
London School of Economics & Political Science
Architect
Grimshaws
Contractor
Osborne
Quantity Surveyor
Davis Langdon LLP
To preserve the status of the building and work sympathetically with the existing façade required a competent design led façade partner that understood the passion and aspiration behind the design and function of the scheme.
Working closely with the client team in the early stages of design, we created solutions that met the stringent planning requirements, yet still delivered on the architectural intent.
The tasteful refurbishment involved the installation of 8 floors of replacement windows, across 3 facades – the 6 lower storeys were finished with a traditional stone façade, and the top 2 storeys to lead clad dormers in a raking slate façade. The windows to the ground and 1st floor had integral formed liners around each opening, giving a distinct reveal detail. This was achieved through a conventional window system but enhanced with a number of bespoke extrusions to highlight the character of the building.
Other elevational treatment included large shopfronts with integral canopies and then a grand portico forming a main entrance on both main elevations. Featured in this were 8m high solid faced sliding doors hung off a head track that was built into the retained structure. Colorminium were responsible for the total design and delivery of this bespoke solution that features so highly on the buildings frontage.
Internal works included fire-rated glazing and compartmentation in key zones of the building and a stunning bespoke lift shaft cladding design from bolted glass including stainless steel linings around each lift car opening. This features very prominently in the central building core and is complemented elsewhere by other areas of architectural metalwork.
Officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in November 2008, the royal visit was a fitting tribute to the intense attention to detail in design and exacting delivery methodology that saw extremely high quality delivered down to the smallest detail.
