Study Tour: New Zealand House and Royal Opera Arcade

Tour

Wednesday 21 October 2026
08:30 - 10:00

Members Only

Free

Join the study tour of New Zealand House, a pioneering modernist landmark providing a blueprint for sustainable retrofit across the West End.

Located at the junction of Haymarket and Pall Mall, New Zealand House is one of London’s most recognisable post-war landmarks. Completed in 1963 and now Grade II listed, it was London’s first fully glazed and fully air-conditioned office building, setting up a new benchmark for modern commercial architecture.

This study tour will provide a unique opportunity to explore The Crown Estate’s ambitious retrofit and repositioning of New Zealand House, alongside the Grade I listed Royal Opera Arcade. The transformation will create approximately 138,000 sq ft of premium office, retail and hospitality space across 18 floors, while carefully preserving the building’s architectural significance.

The tour will showcase how the project prioritises reuse over demolition, reducing embodied carbon, improving operational efficiency and extending the life of an important modernist landmark. Attendees will gain insight into the project’s approach to heritage conservation, decarbonisation, climate resilience and creating more inclusive and accessible spaces.

The visit will demonstrate how New Zealand House is providing a blueprint for sustainable retrofit and the future of workplace development across London’s West End.