Grand Design Plans

Damion Burrows, the presenter of Grand Designs House of the Year, has been appointed to lead an extensive London office refurbishment project on behalf of Argyll. At a cost of £27 million, over 275,000 square feet of prime London office space will be renovated and DMBA, Burrows's architecture practice, has created for the scheme an innovative design standard which promises to deliver premium offices with the feel of boutique residential properties.

The 'future of work' concept is based on the style of the Mayfair townhouse, each of the 8 Argyll-owned buildings retaining their original exteriors but enjoying a significant interior upgrade. One of the aims of the project is to transform the working environment with library rooms, break-out kitchens, guest lounges, shower facilities and expanded bike storage. Another objective is sustainability, to be achieved by measures including high efficiency LED lighting, motion detection sensors and upgraded heating and cooling systems.

Work on the first buildings has now started and all 8 are expected to be finished during 2023. CEO of Argyll, John Drover said: "We're very excited to see work begin across our building portfolio. The project is about celebrating the unique history of our properties whilst adding state-of-the-art technology and modern furnishings. Post-pandemic, it's great to see the business once again adapting to support customer needs and the changing world of work."

The award-winning Damion Burrows added: "Argyll's offices are a classic combination of grandeur and discretion. Their clients demand the best, now more than ever post-pandemic, so creating designs for such beautiful buildings and impressive businesses has been a pleasure."

The future of office space

The properties in the scheme have highly distinguished addresses, including 33 St James's Square SW1, 1 Cornhill EC3 and 84 Brook Street. The project signals a post-pandemic shift in office refurbishment: the creation of office space which matches the comforts employees have come to expect working from home. It suggests that offices of the future must be premium in all aspects - from design to comfort, location to tech.

Will this kickstart a new trend in office fit out?