The Bank of Luxemburg wished to explore redevelopment of its land holdings on Whitcomb Street just west of the extension to the National Gallery. Partly listed, the existing buildings resulted from a John Nash masterplan accommodating stabling coach house, servants’ quarters and artists’ studios/galleries at the top, being service buildings to the houses in Suffolk Street. However, their awkward alignment in the street and raised ground floor above historic vaults made for poor active frontages and shielded spaces where unsociable activities took place. It was a street avoided by the general public though an important potential connector between Leicester and Trafalgar Squares.

Miami architects Arquitectonica had designed the Bank of Luxembourg’s HQ so were asked to look at this site. Their instinct was to demolish all and to erect a faceted glass building.

The consultancy worked with the architects creatively to retain the best building at Nos.3-5 Whitcomb Street, and significant parts of the others, but to give the retained one a public benefit use and to replace the remaining buildings, above the retained historic vaults, with brick facetted surfaces and a new and visible improvement to pedestrian permeability through to Suffolk Street.

This required technical and architectural dexterity and considerable heritage reassurance being given by the consultancy to Westminster City Council and Historic England. It helped that we were able to convince the Royal Society of Watercolour Painters to occupy Nos.3-5 for their educational/outreach programme. The consultancy’s Heritage, Design Quality and Townscape documentation was essential to achieve the transformation envisaged and permission was finally given. The scheme was completed in spring 2020.