Savile Row W1
The demolition and redevelopment of Fortress House, formerly the home of English Heritage, has produced some of the best office space in the West End. Working with architect Eric Parry we proposed a scheme that was contemporary yet timeless, an elegant addition to the internationally renowned tailors' street. Carefully selected materials have created a classical and refined building, against which a striking suspended sculpture by renowned New York artist Joel Shapiro is set. The site is a high profile one, surrounded by prominent neighbours and attracting a large amount of public interest. Close liaison with Westminster planners ensured the development met their requirements, whilst our effective consultation with neighbouring landowners resolved any concerns with the minimum of fuss.
UK First
for renowned New York sculptor Joel Shapiro
Best
office space in the West End
Set in Stone
The carefully selected materials and standard of workmanship were subject to rigorous quality control.
It is the details that set 23 Savile Row apart. The building's façade, featuring Portland stone renowned for its lack of visible imperfections, has been painstakingly handset to form a self-supporting facade. Unlike the common method of cladding a building with stone, this classical approach has created a flawless depth and sense of gravitas that distinguishes 23 Savile Row from its neighbours, while the Indian black granite base grounds the building. The resulting building has a greater street presence than its 91,000 sq ft would suggest, yet is far lighter and brighter than its predecessor, Fortress House. From the selection of stone blocks from the quarry, to close scrunity of the rising building from street level, the materials have been subjected to rigorous quality control from start to finish.
Watch This Space
The building provides the best office space in the West End.
23 Savile Row offers a standard working floorplate of 16,500 sq ft (NIA), and its large, open plan space surpasses anything else that is currently available in the West End. Research was undertaken to determine the optimal floorplate for the building, allowing us and owners D2 Private to provide a new and exciting product for this area, and thus target the highest end of the rental scale.
Maintaining Relationships
Keeping high-profile neighbours happy and informed ensured work ran smoothly.
With surrounding occupiers in this prestigious location including the Crown Estate, Pollen Estate, Derwent and the Metropolitan Police, staying on good terms with the neighbours was crucial to keeping the project on track. Regular progress updates took place in the form of newsletters, neighbours meetings and site tours, while effective consultation allowed us to resolve any problems promptly. The construction site was well-managed to maintain an orderly external appearance, and deliveries were kept to a minimum during residential hours and peak office travel times, ensuring the project caused the least possible disruption to those around it.
UK First for Famed Sculptor
Renowned New York Sculptor Joel Shapiro's first UK commission graces 23 Savile Row.
A striking piece of public art - a two tonne bronze sculpture - hangs suspended over the entrance to the building. Joel Shapiro's first UK commission adds an element of surprise and dynamism to the refined architecture and is the result of five years' liaison and collaboration between the artist, ourselves and architect Eric Parry. The installation of the work was highly technical, requiring a complex system of cables installed by workers who were themselves suspended from the building. Visits to New York to see Joel and the foundry where the work was produced ensured the piece could be successfully integrated into the building.
Opinions
“The fusion (of art and architecture) demonstrates how two strikingly different kinds of form can bring a strangely gripping atmosphere to an urban space, 50ft above the street, that might otherwise be dead air.”
The Independent, 5 December, 2008
“Widely considered to be the best space available in the West End.”
Property Week, 29 May, 2009
