Wates has landed the \u00a370m conversion of a Grade II-listed building in central London into a life-sciences hub.<\/p>\n
The contractor has been appointed by clients Oxford Properties and Pioneer to work on the eight-storey Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square.<\/p>\n
The 1930s building has a number of unique heritage features behind a neo-classical facade, including many examples of art deco design details such as a ballroom, ornamental brasswork and an original Italian-marble entrance lobby.<\/p>\n
The job will involve converting 18,600 square metres of primarily office space into wet lab-enabled life-sciences space. The main fabric of the building, including its heritage finishes and features, will be retained, along with the existing original windows.<\/p>\n
The building will continue to include around 7,400 square metres of office, amenity, meeting and retail space, as well as an eighth-floor club lounge and a roof terrace overlooking central London.<\/p>\n
Wates and its mechanical and electrical (M&E) subsidiary SES Engineering Services have been tasked with achieving BREEAM Excellent certification on completion, which is due in the autumn. It will feature renewable systems and use offsite prefabricated modules for M&E services.<\/p>\n
Energy-efficient LED lighting and heat recovery will be installed in the air-conditioning system, while air source heat pumps will be used to warm the building.<\/p>\n
Wates Group regional director for London Mark Craig said: \u201cThe conversion of Victoria House into a cutting-edge life-sciences hub is a testament to Wates\u2019 commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable spaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud to play a key role in transforming this Grade II-listed landmark into a state-of-the-art facility at the heart of London, while preserving and celebrating the unique heritage features it has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oxford Properties head of development for Europe Robin Everall said: \u201cThe location, amenities and historical character of Victoria House make it one of the most unique and complex refurbishments of its kind, differentiated by a mix of modern lab space and heritage design, and our aim is to transform it into a hub that will nurture life-sciences ecosystems in close proximity to the city\u2019s Knowledge Quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWates is a leading construction company with a highly skilled team, which makes them ideally suited to undertake the refurbishment of the iconic Victoria House into a state-of-the-art lab space.\u201d<\/p>\n