Kajima has received planning permission from Westminster City Council for the partial refurbishment and extension of Orwell House in the heart of Fitzrovia.
The company has appointed Gibson Thornley architects and sustainability experts Max Fordham to oversee the transformation of the current 28,600 sq ft building into “best-in-class” workspace spanning 35,500 sq ft.
Kajima said around 70% of the building’s existing floorspace will be retained to reduce embodied carbon and the extension will “utilise circular economy principles by incorporating reclaimed steel where possible to support structural interventions and reusing materials on site”. The refurbishment of Orwell House is due to be completed in 2025.
Tim James, investment director at Kajima, said: “We are excited about the ambitious refurbishment and extension proposals at Orwell House, which will result in a truly outstanding office development in one of Central London’s most dynamic sub-markets.
“This is a great example of how we can seek to adapt older, inefficient buildings to meet the evolving requirements of local, national and global occupiers whilst rigorously interrogating construction and supply chain principles to ensure we meet our ambitious sustainability targets. We are confident that Orwell House will become an exemplary building, providing best-in-class workspace for its occupiers, and we look forward to seeing our vision come to fruition.”
Ben Gibson, director at Gibson Thornley, added: “The existing building is often the most sustainable one, but in many cases, to fulfil long-term plans, spatial and environmental interventions are required. This ambitious refurbishment and extension project will reduce embodied and operational carbon while optimising occupant wellbeing and enhancing the Fitzrovia streetscape to provide an exemplary commercial retrofit development.”
