Metropolis reimagines a landmark Marylebone building, combining adaptive reuse with a CLT extension to create a high-performance, wellbeing-led workplace while retaining historic features.

Metropolis reimagines a landmark building within the historic grain of Marylebone, London exemplifying best practice in high-performance, adaptive reuse and wellbeing-led workplace development. Originally commissioned by Woolworths in 1955, and designed by renowned architect Richard Seifert & Partners, the scheme transforms the mid-century landmark into a 175,000 sq. ft, low carbon commercial hub, bringing the existing structure in line with the needs of modern office users.

The existing building has been extended with a dramatic seven-storey stepped extension to the rear, built using cross-laminated timber (CLT). Clad in glazed terracotta, the extension increases the building’s internal floor area by 40% and creates opportunities for staggered landscaped terraces across floors 1-6, providing generous green space for tenants to enjoy and neighbours to look onto.

The rooftop extension is set back from the outer edges of the building façade to reduce visual impact and respect the massing hierarchy of the original Seifert composition, while providing views over the surrounding skyline. The redevelopment retains key architectural features, including Portland stone and brick façades, original staircases and sculptural reliefs by Edward Bainbridge Copnall.

A new principal entrance and reception hub on Harewood Avenue gives the building a stronger public presence and connection to the neighbourhood. The reception features a stepped atrium rising to level 4, visually linking internal spaces and bringing more daylight into the largest workspaces.

The retention of the existing structure, combined with the CLT new extension, manufactured from sustainably sourced Spruce timber and left exposed to celebrate its warm, natural appearance, saved over 4,500 tonnes of embodied carbon.

Metropolis is operationally net-zero carbon and exclusively uses 100% REGO certified renewable energy.