10 Portman Square, London

Development Details This mixed-use building for British Land and McAleer & Rushe will provide 12,425m² (133,425 sq ft) of high quality office and retail space on a prominent site on the corner of Portman Square. The typical level provides a column-free floor plate of over 1,700m² (18,330 sq ft) which is unusual in the context […]

Project Stats

39.5m

value

Final negotiated/proposed price of the project

7 Storey

Building

Seven above-surface floors and Two basement levels

Excellent

BREEAM

Environmental assessment and rating system for buildings

2+ Years

contract length

October 2010 - May 2013

Points of Note

Development Details

The development comprises seven above-surface floors and two basement levels, including a lower-level plant room. Three large terrace rooms are located at the top of the building and provide stunning views across the nation’s capital. Each elevation of the new building is designed appropriately to the local street context. The perceived scale of the building is broken down into smaller constituent elements, each of them individually enriched with high-quality materials such as stone, bronzed metal and dichroic glass. At ground floor level, the double-height office entrance is on the corner, where it addresses Portman Square. The remainder of the Baker Street frontage is given over to 1,000m (10,763 sq ft) of high quality retail frontage. The recessed office entrance off Portman Square creates a covered external lobby area, which, given its prominent location on the corner of the square, will be a good location for public art.

Challenges

The team had to deal with a number of challenges. In design terms, it is the development of a large-scale floorplate office building on a site with significant massing restrictions imposed by planning requirements. Maximising the developable area was a key client priority and reconciling that with the planning ambitions for the redevelopment of the site was an enormous challenge. In terms of construction, key challenges are the excavation of the basement without disturbing neighbouring services, reprovision of substations, the cladding of the building, and the incorporation of complex services.

Community Benefit & Awards

The outcome results in a high quality building, a significant element of public art and a significant contribution by the developer to the public realm redevelopment of Portman Square. Awards

British Lands Awards 2013 - Exceptional Site Management on 10 Portman Square, London

Irish Construction Awards - International Project for the Year 2014 for 10 Portman Square, London

Location - 10 Portman Square, London

Testimonials

“This has been a fantastic team effort, and the building looks stunning. This is a new landmark building providing exceptional quality of accommodation."