Centre Point
Almacantar
Architecture
In 2011 we were appointed by London developer, Almacantar, as Architects and Interiors Designers with a brief to revive Centre Point’s iconic tower, making good on the original developer Harry Hyam’s promise of a creating a thriving London Landmark.
The 1960s tower, originally designed by Richard Seifert’s partner George Marsh, is set to form a key part of the overhaul of the surrounding Tottenham Court Road area, where work is on-going to launch the new Crossrail station. Our work is part of a wider scheme that regenerates the adjacent Centre Point buildings and to create a new public square at its base.
Centre Point Tower is grade-II listed, and our approach has been to work with the spirit of the original design, but to reinvent it for the twenty first century. For instance, whilst the concrete frame has been carefully restored, the glazed envelope has been replaced entirely, and whilst it is to the original pattern, it is to modern thermal and acoustic standards. Furthermore, the way the building meets the ground has been fundamentally changed as the project moves away from vehicles towards prioritising people. The car ramp route is now enclosed to form a new ground floor and external staircases have been restored and repositioned to create a cleaner relationship with the street without losing the spirit of the composition.
On the first floor we have installed a 30m swimming pool and gym, with a residents’ club above. The building then uses the circa 30x16m floor plates to its advantage to create apartments with generous daylight and, from the tenth floor upwards, spectacular uninterrupted panoramic views of London. The interior design continues our approach to create the impression that the design is now what it was always intended to be. We have used robust and graphic but elegant materials and details. Bridging the gap between the spirit of its time, the existing personality of the building and its new residential use.
As part of the project to bring the building up to modern technical standards, we were able to remove the tank rooms at the very top of the building to create a double height duplex apartment, with its own 360-degree terrace created out of the original access gantry.
The new scheme includes change of use from office to 82 high-end residential apartments, with amenity spaces. Our appointment covers full services through all RIBA stages of work, and encompass all elements of the project from structural changes, down to styling the prime sales apartment, and even designing the bespoke ironmongery and the luggage for the sales team.
The final stages of this project are due to complete in early 2019.
The 1960s tower, originally designed by Richard Seifert’s partner George Marsh, is set to form a key part of the overhaul of the surrounding Tottenham Court Road area, where work is on-going to launch the new Crossrail station. Our work is part of a wider scheme that regenerates the adjacent Centre Point buildings and to create a new public square at its base.
Centre Point Tower is grade-II listed, and our approach has been to work with the spirit of the original design, but to reinvent it for the twenty first century. For instance, whilst the concrete frame has been carefully restored, the glazed envelope has been replaced entirely, and whilst it is to the original pattern, it is to modern thermal and acoustic standards. Furthermore, the way the building meets the ground has been fundamentally changed as the project moves away from vehicles towards prioritising people. The car ramp route is now enclosed to form a new ground floor and external staircases have been restored and repositioned to create a cleaner relationship with the street without losing the spirit of the composition.
On the first floor we have installed a 30m swimming pool and gym, with a residents’ club above. The building then uses the circa 30x16m floor plates to its advantage to create apartments with generous daylight and, from the tenth floor upwards, spectacular uninterrupted panoramic views of London.
As part of the project to bring the building up to modern technical standards, we were able to remove the tank rooms at the very top of the building to create a double height duplex apartment, with its own 360-degree terrace created out of the original access gantry.
The new scheme includes change of use from office to 82 high-end residential apartments, with amenity spaces. Our appointment covers full services through all RIBA stages of work, and encompass all elements of the project from structural changes, down to styling the prime sales apartment, and even designing the bespoke ironmongery and the luggage for the sales team.
The final stages of this project are due to complete in early 2019.
Photography by Luke Hayes, Mark Luscombe Whyte and Patrick Williamson
In 2011 we were appointed by London developer, Almacantar, as Architects and Interiors Designers with a brief to revive Centre Point’s iconic tower, making good on the original developer Harry Hyam’s promise of a creating a thriving London Landmark.
The 1960s tower, originally designed by Richard Seifert’s partner George Marsh, is set to form a key part of the overhaul of the surrounding Tottenham Court Road area, where work is on-going to launch the new Crossrail station. Our work is part of a wider scheme that regenerates the adjacent Centre Point buildings and to create a new public square at its base.
Centre Point Tower is grade-II listed, and our approach has been to work with the spirit of the original design, but to reinvent it for the twenty first century. For instance, whilst the concrete frame has been carefully restored, the glazed envelope has been replaced entirely, and whilst it is to the original pattern, it is to modern thermal and acoustic standards. Furthermore, the way the building meets the ground has been fundamentally changed as the project moves away from vehicles towards prioritising people. The car ramp route is now enclosed to form a new ground floor and external staircases have been restored and repositioned to create a cleaner relationship with the street without losing the spirit of the composition.
On the first floor we have installed a 30m swimming pool and gym, with a residents’ club above. The building then uses the circa 30x16m floor plates to its advantage to create apartments with generous daylight and, from the tenth floor upwards, spectacular uninterrupted panoramic views of London.
The 1960s tower, originally designed by Richard Seifert’s partner George Marsh, is set to form a key part of the overhaul of the surrounding Tottenham Court Road area, where work is on-going to launch the new Crossrail station. Our work is part of a wider scheme that regenerates the adjacent Centre Point buildings and to create a new public square at its base.
Centre Point Tower is grade-II listed, and our approach has been to work with the spirit of the original design, but to reinvent it for the twenty first century. For instance, whilst the concrete frame has been carefully restored, the glazed envelope has been replaced entirely, and whilst it is to the original pattern, it is to modern thermal and acoustic standards. Furthermore, the way the building meets the ground has been fundamentally changed as the project moves away from vehicles towards prioritising people. The car ramp route is now enclosed to form a new ground floor and external staircases have been restored and repositioned to create a cleaner relationship with the street without losing the spirit of the composition.
On the first floor we have installed a 30m swimming pool and gym, with a residents’ club above. The building then uses the circa 30x16m floor plates to its advantage to create apartments with generous daylight and, from the tenth floor upwards, spectacular uninterrupted panoramic views of London.
The interior design continues our approach to create the impression that the design is now what it was always intended to be. We have used robust and graphic but elegant materials and details. Bridging the gap between the spirit of its time, the existing personality of the building and its new residential use.
As part of the project to bring the building up to modern technical standards, we were able to remove the tank rooms at the very top of the building to create a double height duplex apartment, with its own 360-degree terrace created out of the original access gantry.
The new scheme includes change of use from office to 82 high-end residential apartments, with amenity spaces. Our appointment covers full services through all RIBA stages of work, and encompass all elements of the project from structural changes, down to styling the prime sales apartment, and even designing the bespoke ironmongery and the luggage for the sales team.
The final stages of this project are due to complete in early 2019.
As part of the project to bring the building up to modern technical standards, we were able to remove the tank rooms at the very top of the building to create a double height duplex apartment, with its own 360-degree terrace created out of the original access gantry.
The new scheme includes change of use from office to 82 high-end residential apartments, with amenity spaces. Our appointment covers full services through all RIBA stages of work, and encompass all elements of the project from structural changes, down to styling the prime sales apartment, and even designing the bespoke ironmongery and the luggage for the sales team.
The final stages of this project are due to complete in early 2019.
Photography by Luke Hayes, Mark Luscombe Whyte and Patrick Williamson
We are rejuvenating [a piece of] architecture that still possesses a great deal of flair. Our task has been to marry the spirit of the building, with the equally vibrant and creative spirit of London today.
Tim Bowder-Ridger, CEO | Senior Partner of Conran and Partners
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