15th November 2017

Work complete on iconic office warehouse in Covent Garden

A high-end office refurbishment of the Grade II listed Seven Dials Warehouse in Covent Garden has recently been completed and the building will shortly be leased by Red Bull for its new headquarters. Thomasons led the structural engineering elements of the project, working with London architects gpad.

The brief from owners CBRE Global Investors was to create a design that would attract global companies to Covent Garden. It sought a striking ‘warehouse feel’ for this iconic building, which was used as a brewery in Victorian times.

The existing office space was stripped back to its original structure and staircases were re-orientated to enhance the internal space.

A highlight was the creation of a superb 3,000 sq. ft. roof terrace with glass balustrades, offering panoramic views across London. Thomasons designed the terrace’s steel frame and ensured that the load could be supported by the existing roof structure, without further strengthening works.

Another striking design feature is the suspended staircase which links the fifth floor with the terrace. Housed within the existing glass roof lantern, the bespoke folding steel plate staircase appears to float above the office floor.

The entrance to the warehouse has been reconfigured to create a larger reception area and the building’s rich heritage is celebrated by retaining original features, such as columns, beams and exposed brick.

Work on this important Grade II historic building involved extensive surveys and careful investigation of historical structural statements to report and obtain the necessary permissions from the local authority heritage officer and other interested groups in the Seven Dials area.

CBRE Global Investors describe the finished project as successfully “bringing the old and modern together, offering fantastic office space.”

Photos: gpad Architects