Kingly Street

This complex development in the heart of Soho is our 6th project for our prestigious client Shaftesbury plc.  It is the creation of a new mixed-use development behind retained façades, comprising Cat A offices and improved and enlarged retail/hospitality shells.  Working closely with the client and their team, we carried out feasibility studies to establish the most appropriate methods of construction.  We completed a phased negotiation of the project to allow early commencement on site, reducing overall programme duration and working with all local stakeholders to minimise disruption.

The works comprise the demolition of three buildings behind retained façades to the front and rear, and party walls to the other two sides.  To ensure stability of the surrounding structures, we developed a temporary works scheme that incorporated much of the permanent steel which was installed in a top down construction, sequential with the demolition.  The new frame is structural steel with composite concrete floor to the upper levels, and an insitu concrete slab to the ground floor and enlarged basement.  The upper floors are fully fitted out as enhanced Cat A office, extending at the upper levels into an adjacent building, with high quality finishes and fully serviced with a new lift serving all floors from the feature reception on Kingly Court.  The ground and lower ground floors are to be restaurant and hospitality shells, accessed from Kingly Street itself.

Logistically the project is particularly challenging, Kingly Street is a narrow busy throughfare and vehicle / delivery access is only possible between 7 and 11am, after which the road becomes pedestrianised.  Careful planning of works and deliveries, and close engagement with all stakeholders is crucial to the project’s success.

This project continues Shaftesbury’s aspiration to reduce the embedded carbon in all their buildings and provide a more sustainable environment in central London, and we are working hard with them to ensure careful consideration is given to this at every stage of the development. The project is to be a BREEAM Excellent development.