123-151 Buckingham Palace Road was originally constructed as two office blocks, connected by a wrap-around, glazed canopy with public walkways and small retail units at ground level.

Morrow + Lorraine’s innovative extension over sails and connects the two blocks, adding a third, self-contained office building, Sky HUB. Sky HUB contains over 10,000sqm of lettable office space over three storeys, with its own dedicated entrance and lifts. The scheme retains 100% of the original 49,000sqm development with virtually no modifications required to its superstructure.

There are major improvements to the fully accessible public realm: the public walkway along Buckingham Palace Road has been transformed by the removal of the existing glazed canopy - enhancing legibility and daylight levels. Renewed hard and soft landscaping and enlarged retail units create vibrancy and street-level activity.

The new offices are flexible (divisible for up to twelve tenants), light-filled and include two large outdoor terraces with irrigated lawns, environment-suitable plants, and bird boxes - encouraging biodiversity and long life. A new brown roof and photovoltaic panels reduce urban heat and reliance on the grid. Using BREEAM tools, the all-electric development achieves 74.66kWh/m2/yr in operational energy, 'CTG' 377.3kgCO2eq/m2 embodied energy, BREEAM Excellent and 61.6% below the London Plan baseline emissions. Prefabrication and waste reducing material selection define the project throughout.

The project’s outreach opportunities included the contractor, McLaren’s, University student mentorship and local community centre donation, M+L’s Build the Way traineeship, and GAW Capital’s funding of a purpose-built waiting room with facilities for Victoria Station coach passengers.

“We hope that the new extension quietly complements the old building rather than announce itself as something separate or new. We tried to create a feeling that even though the size of the addition is vast, it is somewhat background in nature. By leaving room in its setting for neighbours, it doesn’t overwhelm the context, nor shout too loudly for attention."

J-J Lorraine, Director, Morrow + Lorraine