SACKVILLE STREET
Can we create a destination retail outlet in a historic structure whilst the building is occupied above?
Location: Central London
Status: On Site
Client: Mottcomb Estates
Architect: PDP London
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Structural Design Brief
Back analysis of concrete frame for new openings and loadings.
Removal of structure supporting occupied residential units.
Careful interventions to open up historic façade.
The project unifies four ground floor retail units while adding connectivity between basement and first floor spaces to create a retail destination for the tenant. It also included the refurbishment of office spaces on the three floors above. Crucially, this was to be carried out while the top four floors remained in residential occupation.
The principle structural alterations in this 1950s concrete framed building were the creation of new double height ground floor spaces and additional lifts and staircases between the basement, ground floor and first floor spaces.
The double height spaces are along the street fronts and required careful interventions in the historic stonework in order to retain the necessary ‘presence’ for the store, which is off Regent Street.
Within the basement an existing transfer beam severely limited the available headroom, so a proposal was developed to remove it and install new a new column. The beam supported seven storeys above it, with the top four being occupied residences, so the development of a carefully considered construction sequence, coupled with a movement monitoring regime, was necessary before tendering the works.
