29-30 St James’s Street and 25-26 Bury Street
TateHindle has completed 29-30 St James’s Street and 25-26 Bury Street for The Crown Estate. The new £19m mixed-use development which includes high end residential, office and retail space, follows on from The Crown Estate’s £400m redevelopment of St James’s Market and its continuing regeneration of St James’s.
Dating from the early 20th Century and last refurbished during the 1980s, the buildings were designated as unlisted buildings of merit within the St James’s Conservation Area. Historically linked at basement and ground level, the buildings, which were used as offices above ground floor retail spaces, had undergone incremental ad hoc additions over the years. The redevelopment entailed demolishing the existing buildings, retaining only the historic facades on St James’s and Bury Street. Two new buildings have been painstakingly re-built behind the retained facades, connecting seamlessly with the original fabric. Connecting at basement level, the buildings create two new rear elevations which frame a private courtyard garden overlooking the Economist Plaza.
The Portland stone façade on St James’s Street has been cleaned and restored, providing an elegantly understated entrance for residential accommodation above ground floor retail premises. An additional floor has been added to the building; clad in zinc, the contemporary intervention is discreetly set back from the original roof line so as to have minimal visual impact from street level. On the ground floor, the original marble double shopfront has been sensitively renovated and the 113 sqm unit re-designed for D.R. Harris, a traditional chemist and long-standing tenant. Bespoke front doors and ventilation screens crafted in laser cut bronze featuring a design inspired by leather grain, enhance the opulence of the marble and are in keeping with the grandeur of the area.
Contrasting with the historic fabric of Portland stone on St James’s Street and red brick on Bury Street, new rear elevations of both buildings utilise light-toned London stock brick. The brickwork incorporates a subtle reveal detail to break up the large expanse of brick. The new courtyard elevations are divided into thirds vertically to reference the retained facades and feature striking bronze oriel bay windows angled towards the Economist Plaza to prevent overlooking.
The residential accommodation is opulent and offered for private rent.
It comprises four 3-bedroom lateral apartments and a 4-bedroom duplex penthouse over the 5th and 6th floor which includes a feature walk on skylight, sunroom and roof garden terrace with vistas of the city skyline.
The first floor apartment benefits from access to a courtyard garden with an eye-catching sculptural Iroko wood fan feature, providing an unexpected private amenity in the West End.
Parallel to St James's Street, 25 Bury Street provides 1467 sqm of bespoke office space over six floors. A concierge reception features highly crafted details which reference the heritage and traditional businesses St James's is renowned for.
The use of bronze on the exterior continues through to the reception’s interior - a limestone floor with bronze ribbons compliments polished plaster walls inset with raised bronze strips. A bespoke bronze desk integrated with the latest technology is designed to fold away seamlessly when not in use. Bulkheads in the ceiling required to conceal services are made into a feature through repetition of form, creating an undulating ceiling to give the space a more sculptural edge. Internal doors featuring brass mesh incorporated into the glazing and bespoke handles in bronze and leather add crafted elements to the reception.
The retail unit at 26 Bury Street is the new home for The Colnaghi Gallery. The space has been custom designed for the gallery, a specialist in Old Master artworks, making its return to St James’s after a hundred years in Mayfair. Occupying 363 sqm over two floors at ground and basement level, natural light is brought into the rear of the unit via roof lights which are a feature of courtyard garden.
