HOK's Heritage and Adaptive Reuse Brochure

“to deliver exceptional design ideas and solutions through the creative blend of human need, environmental stewardship, value creation, science and art.”

Heritage and Adaptive Reuse are highly specialised fields that require a unique set of skills. Our team have the diverse expertise to tackle the specific challenges

Building in London, Brooks’s Club in London, the Usher Gallery in Lincoln, the Royal College of Music in London, St. David’s Library in Cardiff and other significant historic buildings and estates across London.

Molton | Senior Associate

Helen is an Accredited Specialist Building Conservation architect and BREEAM Associate with over 35 years’ experience in architectural practice. She specialises in the repair and reuse of historic buildings and in preparing documentation for all stages of work, from project inception through to completion on site. Helen assists in developing the heritage conservation strategy and is responsible for the day to day running of projects including coordination of consultant input and interface with clients and contractors on site. She has worked on many of London’s most important Grade I and II* listed buildings including the Old Bailey, Old War Office, Royal Courts of Justice, MOD main building and Somerset House. Other projects include Snaresbrook Crown Court, Kensal Green Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery and the Sir Richard Burton Mausoleum.

Helen

Katie-Hannah is a RIBA accredited Conservation Architect, experienced in delivering heritage, preservation and conservation projects across a variety of sectors. Recent roles include leading the Design Teams for a portfolio of conservation, restoration and refurbishment projects in North Tottenham, as part of the wider regeneration plans associated with the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These include the conservation and extension of Grade II* Listed Percy House, which was a finalist for ‘Best Regeneration’ in the LABC London awards and for ‘Conservation’ in the Haringey Design Awards, as well Warmington House and the Northumberland Terrace, which is a fine historic terrace of Georgian and Victorian properties, at the hearth of North Tottenham Conservation Area.

Ernie is a Senior Project Architect and BREEAM Associate with experience and interest in complex mixed-use development involving historic building/s within sensitive contexts. As an Accredited Specialist Building Conservation architect, his experience focusing on the adaptive reuse of historic buildings has allowed Ernie to acquire particular skills in both new build construction and building conservation and how they harmoniously come together which is key to the design and delivery of such projects. His experience include leading the conservation work-stream for Parliament’s Northern Estate Programme and for the refurbishment and redevelopment of a number of significant Grade I, II* and II buildings in London. Notable award winning projects include 10 New Burlington Street and AirW1 in Piccadilly Circus.

Ernie Lew | Senior Project Architect

Katie-Hannah Wright | Senior Project Architectct

Our Philosophy - Heritage + Adaptive Reuse

There is no “one size fits all” / pattern language solution – each project and its approach is unique.

We undertake extensive “detective work” to discover and understand the history of the building, its memories and significance. This forms the foundation of our approach to addressing old and new.

Our design philosophy starts with revealing the best of the old, whilst adding a new layer to the historic layers to provide for the needs of the new.

We harness our technical ingenuity to balance the need of the historic building and conforming to modern legislation. Understanding and articulating where there is capacity for change allows us to shape developments and secure statutory consents.

Where repair is required, we are rigorous in our technical resolution, yet recognising the importance of simplicity, aesthetics and elegance.

We collaborate with visionary clients and engage effectively with consultants to push the boundaries of what is possible. We utilise technology to design, innovate, generate efficiencies and coordinate. We craft and maintain our technology ‘toolkits’ to solve current and future challenges.

Our interventions are indifferent to fashion. They are contextual and use a palette of materials already present or a modern interpretation of the historic palette.

Our holistic and integrated sustainability approach is embedded in everything we do. We link net zero carbon objectives and heritage specifications to make intelligent upgrades to the building fabric that are sympathetic and effective and ensure the performance can be measured.

Adaptive Reuse

HOK proposal for Sea City Museum, Southampton

WE rethink imagine provoke repurpose

Make the End the New Beginning

Good architecture enhances quality of life. It improves the way we go about our daily business and creates better communities that allow us to tread evermore lightly on the environment. But how do we revitalise obsolete architecture?

in a variety of outcomes. Existing buildings can, and should, continue their dialogue with time, purpose and aspiration. They embody time, life and place. We re-think and re-purpose these buildings to reflect great possibilities.

Enhance

Breathe new life into a Client portfolio

Existing buildings make a remarkable contribution to our towns and cities – a contribution based on the relationship of the old and new. We infuse existing buildings with life through striking architectural interventions, in the knowledge that new life will often have new functional and social purposes.

Introducing change into buildings of high cultural and architectural significance requires both careful judgment and cautious intervention. But all buildings must continue to be relevant to their users; they must evolve and accommodate changing needs and patterns of use based on circumstances and intelligent projections of future use.

It is of critical importance in dealing with existing architecture – whether physically dilapidated or functionally outdated - that a new creative energy is injected and we fulfill our duty to protect the environment. This is achieved by looking both at the strategic contribution of entire estates, as well as individual buildings and the way they are used. There can be no single solution to existing buildings, but rather many approaches that manifest themselves

As a society we are experiencing a renewed enthusiasm for the creative adaptation and re-appropriation of existing structures. With skill and judgement existing buildings can be creatively adapted to new circumstances, reviving the way they are used and reigniting their spirit. This is the definition of successful adaptation: enabling a building to survive and thrive while enhancing its fundamental spirit of place. Adopting strategies for reuse demands that we build

flexibility into our design solutions and place social and environmental value on an equal footing with the aesthetic values. The transformation of an existing building is a dynamic process. The tension between the specific characteristics that a building has evolved over time, and the desire to achieve a consistent design concept, results in the enhancement of the existing architecture and breathes new life into the Client’s asset.

Quality Striking architectural interventions

Designing for reuse is often thought of as constrictive, overly complex, lacking in aesthetic ambition and as presenting limitations to creativity. In fact, these constraints can often provoke more innovative solutions and responses that do not diminish the overall quality of the architecture produced as a result.

We are sold the idea that new build is aspirational, whilst reuse is a compromise, but innovation does not always have to mean “new” - but rather approaching existing resources in a new way. Materials are at the heart of what makes old building special, so an appreciation of their attributes are essential, coupled with an understanding of where the significance is attributed. Alongside the beauty of the old, the qualities of modern materials should not be underestimated in creating sympathetic and dynamic solutions. A careful choice of appropriate materials for any interventions is essential for good design in historic environments.

Good conservation demands a clear and rigorous contemporary approach for new work just as much as it requires delicacy and respect in dealing with the past. Architecture and buildings must face the inevitability of change, perhaps even dramatic alteration. Meaningful architecture allows and encourages inventive and

inspired design as the way of ‘managing change’.

Added Value

Generating value from ideas

We recognise that a truly sustainable project is more than a “green” building that minimises the use of natural resources and reduces the environmental impact in construction and operation. Re-using existing structures is a starting point, but we must promote the full potential of these buildings by creating an environment that sustains the activities within. All new solutions must be both cost effective and operationally efficient.

Facing challenging economic conditions and reduced government funding for the public sector, the pressure is on to manage real estate creatively. To reduce cost, make efficiencies in back-of-house operations and identify means of creating value through increased revenue-generation and improved customer numbers. How ‘behind the scenes’ workplaces are designed and used has a huge impact on how an organisation is run, how people communicate, behave, create and innovate, and how energy can be used more efficiently.

Existing buildings can and should continue their dialogue with time, purpose and aspiration. They are marks of life and place. And they can still have great possibilities. Our portfolio demonstrates how we develop innovative solutions that generate value in the buildings that have been left behind.

Environment Sustainability

Our planet is facing a scarcity crisis, with finite resources including raw materials and fossil fuels, and an ever-increasing global population. We know that society’s throwaway culture plays a big part in the

climate crisis and this carries over to our disposable attitude to buildings.

Our designs are forward-looking in intent. Buildings are designed with flexibility for the long-term in mind and true sustainability by keeping them in use through conservation and creative reuse. Sustainability is embedded into HOK’s culture and design processes and we are committed to solutions that address climate change in the environment. Fashion and changing patterns of use often curtail the anticipated lifespan of buildings; which sometimes barely stretch to a decade, at huge environmental and economic cost. Our projects creatively reuse existing buildings and ensuring their resilience contributes to the business success of our clients and to the health and wellness of their people. We track the projected energy performance of every project and have committed to achieving a carbonneutral design portfolio by 2030.

Story Adapt to survive

For centuries, cities have grown naturally. This process goes on in many districts following the rhythm of trends and transactions. However, on larger areas (social housing districts, old city centres, abandoned industrial sites and outskirts) this urban renewal occurs less frequently.

Many European historical cities in particular – and numerous historical cities in general - face the problem of valuable cultural heritage in their centres abandoned by many residents and businesses. The results are empty retail spaces, dilapidated housing stock and the under utilisation of important assets. The issue today for these areas is reinsertion and reintegration back into their districts and cities whilst creating value and bringing back vitality into forgotten areas - and doing

all of this without losing the ‘collective memory’ associated with objects and place.

Old buildings and spaces embody the attributes of age and of memory, and for us working with historic buildings; we have the challenge of understanding their history and significance, of engaging with all the historic layers that are already present, and of adding a new architectural layer and continuing the story.

Environment that facilitates collaboration and retains BBC legacy connections BBC Studios

CHALLENGE

This project sees the former home of BBC News, Stage 6 at Television Centre in White City transformed into the new headquarters for BBC Worldwide. Created to accommodate over 1,200 employees, this responsive work space provides an open and flexible environment that facilitates collaboration between different functions, whilst helping to promote the BBC product. Key challenges included “creating” much needed space to accommodate the number of employees and the building has a complex structure, where one elevation has no windows, another is constructed of floor to ceiling glazing, and the others are made up of deep windows set into masonry walls.

SOLUTION

The HOK team realised from the outset, that in order to respond to BBC Worldwide’s brief, the building would need to change substantially. In order to increase space, HOK’s design has moved everything out of the centre of the building. 4no lift cores originally situated in the centre of the building have been replaced by a central feature staircase. The spiral staircase is used by the majority of people as their main circulation route, connecting each of the six office floors, creating a feature and providing lights (both natural and artificial) and creating a visual link between levels. This light-rich atrium is located at the core of the building, creating a focus point where employees can meet. Increased presence of television screens throughout the building broadcast BBC programme content and each meeting room is themed around a well known BBC programme. The building was also future-proofed and provided with new plant.

Location London

Client BBC Studios Size 8,360sqm

Imperial War Museum – Visitors Centre

Original armoury becomes a focal point to start the visitor experience

CHALLENGE

The Visitor’s Centre at the Imperial War Museum Duxford formed part of a series of works that were to include their new AirSpace project, the upgrade of the main visitor entrance, car parking and the Hangar 1 exhibition space. One of the key challenges was creating a focal point for the museum that would naturally guide the visitors through arrival and departure routes in both busy and quiet times of the year. HOK early on set themselves the challenge of reusing an existing museum building as an integral component of the Client brief.

SOLUTION

The Visitor’s Centre building was converted from the original armory. Flanked between two areas of solid construction, the new glazed entrance and large automatic doors are naturally highlighted by the difference in materiality. The metal entrance canopy provides a landmark feature drawing visitors into the new Museum entrance and the construction of the canopy echoes the aircraft construction use of a framed structure clad at the edges with riveted, folded metal sheets. The visible structure is illuminated at night creating a striking silhouette and by day the building has many of its internal services exposed to create a feeling of a ‘living, working building’. As visitors arrive, they move from the external forecourt into a generous internal court that provides flexibility at busy and quiet times of the year. The existing external lightwells of the armory building have been transformed into internal day lit arrival and departure routes which naturally guide the visitor. ETFE cushion rooflights over the lightwells provide the daylight and solar shading through the use of movable overlapping patterns printed onto the cushions.

Location Duxford, Cambridgeshire

Cost £2M Size 640 sqm

Imperial War Museum – Duxford Airspace

Historic airfield and museum tells the stories of war characters and their aircraft

CHALLENGE

The Imperial War Museum Duxford’s successful Heritage Lottery Funding application resulted in the realisation of HOK’s scheme to house the largest British aviation collection under one roof. In addition to the dedicated museum space, our repeat Client also required the project to accommodate a dedicated education centre, conference facility, conservation workshop and training facilities for staff. The key challenges included creating a state-of-the-art museum of 10,000m2 to house some of Britain and the Commonwealth’s rarest and most treasured military and civil aircraft by increasing the size of the original hangar and reusing the existing A-frame structure.

SOLUTION

HOK’s scheme more than doubled the size of the original hangar through the extension of the footprint, and addition of two new exhibition aisles and creation of two mezzanine floors. The existing retained A-frame structure has been used to suspend an array of aircraft within the massive space and innovative materials used to extend the hangar. Extending the length of the floor plan provided an enclosed conservation area which allows visitors to see the ongoing aircraft restoration work of the museum. The extensions along the side of the building provided galleried exhibition areas offering vantage points to view the suspended aircraft. The space is now flooded with natural light from 5 rows of inflatable ETFE cushions running the length of the new roof. Light also filters through an entire vertical ETFE wall at the north end of the building and at night showcases an incredible backlit spectacle of shadowy aircrafts.

Location Duxford, Cambridgeshire

Cost £12M Size 10,000sqm Awards

2008 Visitors Centre winner of National Lottery Awards - ‘Best Education Project’

Bute Mills - Youthscape

Key local historical asset repurposed to serve and inspire young people

CHALLENGE

Youthscape is a Luton-based charity which focuses on helping disadvantaged young people both locally and nationwide. Having outgrown its original office space, the charity raised funds to buy the Bute Mills building, and enlisted HOK’s help to refurbish the 100-year-old former flour mill. Bute Mills was built by Daniel Brown in 1911 and HOK provided pro bono design services to transform this iconic industrial building into a circa 1,000m2 national headquarters, completely renovating and repurposing the interior space. One of the key challenges was re-purposing the existing building to create a safe, warm and nurturing environment, but also one that is relevant to the young people, without loosing the recognisable industrial character of the existing building.

SOLUTION

The renovation of Bute Mills interior has created a flexible environment including a lower ground floor area for informal work, training, as well as hosting seminars and meetings in conference rooms equipped with stateof-the art audio visual technology. The lounge areas are used for leisure purposes and informal life skills training, a training kitchen and a large roof space is dedicated to group counselling. HOK designed all of the spaces to create a relaxed environment that promotes effective training, education, social activity and counselling sessions.

HOK very successfully employed an urban aesthetic throughout, relating to the young people the charity is helping - the antithesis of a clinical youth club environment. The team used sustainable design strategies to create a healthy environment for the charity’s young people, staff and volunteers. Several energy conservation features, such as natural ventilation reduce operating costs. Timbers removed from the roof were reused in the new structure and the remaining timber was used to create the reception desk. Specifications included FSC rated timber, low-volatile organic compound products including water-based paints and low-energy LEDs.

Location London Client Youthscape Cost N/A Size 929 m²

Fitzrovia Apartments

Social sustainability with a mix of healthcare facilities, social housing and reuse of an existing building.

CHALLENGE

Fitzrovia Apartments is a luxury mixed-use development on one of London’s historic hospital sites and includes a state-of-the-art facility for the new Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Key to the success of the project was the need to maximise the value of the site to generate regeneration capital for the RNOH. Other challenges included redevelopment of the listed building designed for specialist use - the Edwardian-era hospital was not well suited to effective conversion to residential use or to contemporary healthcare needs and retention of the entire original buildings would not have enabled the re-provision of the facilities that RNOH required. The scheme is also located only 250m from Regent’s Park in one of London’s most sensitive urban environments.

SOLUTION

HOK’s Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team negotiated with Camden planning authority and with Historic England to agree that the majority of the original structures could be removed, but that the Grade II listed Nan David murals in the Outpatients’ Hall should be retained and meaningfully incorporated. It now provides an office suite at the heart of the new development and maintains the memory of the original hospital for future generations. In response to designing in the very sensitive context, HOK included new street frontages and internal landscaped courtyards and roofs. Undertaking the project in two phases enabled the Orthopaedic Hospital to remain operational whilst the new medical facility was being built.

Location London

Client Ridgeford + Manhattan Loft Corporation Cost £40M Size 11,150 sq m Residential, Hospital and Office Space Awards

42 Reeves Mews + 42 Upper Grosvenor Street

Breathing life into elegant period properties through adaptive reuse

CHALLENGE

HOK undertook a major refurbishment of two properties in the heart of the Mayfair Conservation Area. 42 Reeves Mews is an elegant residential property which has been transformed to provide two luxurious apartments and 42 Upper Grosvenor Street, an exquisite Townhouse property that has been sensitively refurbished to provide high-end office accommodation. Although unlisted the refurbishment required a careful balance between the extensive reconfiguration to facilitate the use internally and the retention of its refined period facade externally and any historic features.

SOLUTION

The rejuvenation of the Mews property required the removal of all internal walls, floors and partial excavation of the basement to enable the design of two stunning three-bedroom apartments. The roof is surmounted by a clock tower, which was removed and taken away for repair and restoration. 42 Upper Grosvenor in turn was carefully adapted to provide generous open plan office space over six floors. The building retains its refined period facade, with elegant terraces to the rear of the ground and first floors. Breathing life into these buildings through adaptive reuse seeks to support sustainable development.

Cortex Innovation Community

From Historic Printing Plant to Biotech Incubator

CHALLENGE

This adaptive reuse project transformed a long vacant brick warehouse building into a multi tenant incubator facility for St. Louis’ burgeoning bioscience startup ecosystem. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1930 Crescent Building was once a firstof-its-kind rotogravure printing plant for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper. With its modern lab and office spaces, the renovated 4340 Duncan building makes an important contribution to the Cortex Innovation Community‘s continued growth.

Challenges included creating ‘econic’ (economically iconic) facilities that meet market pro formas while being clever, interesting and transformative—just like the people working there. It was crucial to honor the history of the original building whilst delivering a high-performance building with flexible lab space to accommodate a broad spectrum of constantly changing therapeutic and diagnostic research.

SOLUTION

The most sustainable design strategy is re-imagining an existing building instead of building new. Original building elements and pieces of machinery are celebrated. The design preserves conveyor belts that once delivered and picked up materials, fire doors, a steel wall, and old hoses and valves. Printer ink distribution equipment was preserved, covered by a glass floor and transformed into a conference room. Exposed concrete floors and columns are sealed but not polished. Keeping the exposed brick walls enhances the overall aesthetic while providing thermal mass that conserves energy. The historic building’s robust structure can handle most lab functions and tenants can reorganise a lab space in a matter of hours. Mechanical systems have been designed with expanded capacity to accommodate variations in tenants and research. Highly efficient HVAC, electrical and water systems are designed to the USGBC’s LEED performance standards and original metal light fixtures were saved and refitted with energy-efficient LED bulbs. The project also included a complete tuckpoint renovation of the building’s existing masonry facade.

Location St Louis, Missouri, USA

Cost £33,255M

Size 8,365 sq. m.

Awards

2021 Illuminating Engineering Society: Illumination Award of Merit for Energy and Environmental Design

Refurbishment

WE create inspire connect care

We recognise that historic buildings are an irreplaceable part of our cultural history. These buildings come in all sizes, are in a variety of architectural styles, and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Whether enjoyment comes from living or working in them, writing about who built them, or simply admiring them, historic building share a common need: they must be cared for, conserved, and protected for the future.

Since our establishment in 1955, HOK has developed the skills to care for, conserve, and protect some of the world’s most well-known historic buildings. Yet we do so in a pragmatic way, providing a new and useful life for the structures while ensuring they remain assets of value and beauty. The philosophy that underlies all of our work is one that protects the integrity of the original building without compromise.

Good examples of change in buildings do not necessarily shout about their uniqueness, but instead they engage and have a relationship with the existing structure, form and materials. For us it is imperative that; when considering change or the adding of technology, we are considering long-term interventions and questioning the validity of ‘short-term’ thinking.

Good design and innovation is vital to the conservation of historic buildings and goes far beyond aesthetics. HOK believe that with an aspirational mindset and collaborative approach, the refurbishment of old buildings can offer engineering solutions in conjunction with new materials and technology which are innovative, exciting and even bold, whilst allowing the integrity of the building to be maintained.

The key to the successful delivery of a project involving a listed building is to have comprehensive knowledge of the asset. Our approach is based on a holistic understanding of the asset, the building’s historical evolution, its development through time and the scope of works. We can then assess how best to deal with the conservation of the fabric as well as incorporating the new requirements, whilst maintaining its character and setting.

Cabinet Office, 22 - 26 Whitehall

CHALLENGE

The refurbishment and expansion of 22-26 Whitehall was a key part of an ambitious plan to reorganise and renovate the majority of Cabinet Office buildings to provide modern office facilities. HOK were appointed as design team leader, architect, conservation advisors and interior designers for the comprehensive renovation and rejuvenation of this complex arrangement of historic buildings. The complexity of the project, involving conservation, restoration, adaptive reuse of space and new building required unusual care and sensitivity. Two of the three buildings involved are Grade I listed and all within the very sensitive setting of the Whitehall Conservation Area and Tier 1 Westminster and Whitehall Archaeological Priority Area.

SOLUTION

HOK’s scheme sees a new covered court providing a focus for the complex. The design of the covered court is sympathetic to the character of the buildings and forms a positive link between the buildings, creating a glazed enclosure. Three bridge links constructed in the covered court between the buildings resolve internal circulation at different levels. HOK’s approach to the conservation element was clarity, transparency and minimalism, architecturally expressed to achieve an enclosure to the covered court that respects the existing elevations and long views from Trafalgar Square. The design incorporates the potential for future dismantling without damage to the existing building. External restoration was carried out on all of the buildings prior to the main refurbishment.

Location London Client Cabinet Office Cost £100M Size 27,500 m²

Awards

2002 BREEAM - Building Research Establishment Ltd. - Environmental Assessment Award Very Good RatingBREEAM for Offices

A sympathetic, contemporary intervention creates a new heart to the work environment

Ministry of Defence Main Building

Restore a Grade I listed Heritage Building and modernise to attract the best talent

CHALLENGE

HOK were commissioned by the PFI partner to refurbish the existing Ministry of Defence Main Building to create a workplace that will attract the best talent. Key challenges included having a sense of location within the building, and refurbishing, renovating and converting 93,000m2 of cellular building space; containing 2,600 staff, into modern open-plan floor plates that allow departments to maintain the level of security they require while permitting other staff and visitors to bypass the area. The conversion of a mid 20th century Grade I listed building to accommodate complex engineering systems also presented a unique challenge in terms of design, appropriate technical standards, coordination with space planning and existing building constraints.

SOLUTION

The design created campus style accommodation; reached via a main ground level “street“, to improve wayfinding. Along the street is facilities for staff including a bank, shops, cafés and entrance to the MoD library and IT links to other military reference sources. By removing the central corridor and removing extensive partitioning the opportunity arose to provide open-plan floor plates setting the scene for less hierarchical, collaborative team working and knowledge sharing. Atriums were repurposed to provide opportunities for social interaction and informal meetings. Challenges to the vision came from Historic England who had to be persuaded that the conversion was sympathetic and our understanding of historic buildings proved invaluable here. We added value through our understanding of likely constraints, identifying protected areas, and areas that presented opportunities for innovative solutions.

BREEAM® VERY GOOD 4

Location London

Client Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Cost £400M Size 93,000 m²

Awards

2005 Public Private Finance Award - Best Operational Defence Scheme

British Medical Association

Creative design interventions to update and future-proof a Lutyens building

CHALLENGE

HOK’s Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team was commissioned by the British Medical Association (BMA) to create a Conference Venue from the ‘fine rooms’ in their Grade II listed headquarters building designed in the early 20th century by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The project was dictated by a long-noted source of frustration for BMA staff – the lack of an indoor circulation route around the ground floor of the building. Another challenge was staying true to Lutyens’ original design, while creating a modern institution attractive to new generations of doctors, yet still catering for the needs of the more traditional BMA member.

SOLUTION

Solving the circulation problem was not straightforward, but the ultimate solution of building a bridge through a Lutyens’- designed room demonstrates the high degree of creativity to be found in the HOK Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team. HOK’s design carefully preserves the beautiful Grade II Listed building and sympathetically introduce within it newly designed facilities including – an entrance and reception, member’s lounge, business centre, café, BMA Council Chamber, 300-seat conference auditorium, meeting rooms, staff restaurant and fully refurbished kitchens.

The new venue is of a size and quality that is not generally available in London and allows the BMA to host more conferences in-house, and provide income from hire to other businesses.

Location London

Client British Medical Association

Cost £9.3M Size 27,000sqm

Confidential Historic Property

Major reservicing project to safeguard an iconic Grade I listed building

CHALLENGE

HOK have been appointed as architects and conservation specialists as part of a multidisciplinary team undertaking the complete reservicing of a significant Grade I listed building of national importance in central London. The buildings’ electrical cabling, plumbing and heating have not been updated since the 1950s, in the aftermath of the Second World War, and the buildings’ infrastructure is in urgent need of an overhaul to avoid the potential catastrophic failure leading to fire or flood, and incalculable damage.

Initially, the HOK team carried out an Options Appraisal in 2016 looking at a number of options to replace the services throughout the building. This report led the client to conclude that the most cost-effective way to replace the service would be to undertake a phased programme of works over ten years from 2017. Key challenges included the ‘business as usual’ requirement, security constraints and the Grade I listing.

SOLUTION

The HOK team is fully embedded in the multidisciplinary team and are progressing works on site for the programme. The project will bring the whole building infrastructure to a condition that will deliver a fully serviceable, modern, resilient and enduring building that is fit for purpose for the next 50 years. The work introduce a range of technical improvements to ensure increased energy efficiency and a reduction in the buildings’ carbon footprint. The visitor experience will also be significantly enhanced by the construction of a dedicated visitor admissions facility and the addition of a new learning hub, which will increase the capacity for school visits. HOK’s Heritage + Adaptive Reuse Team has been invaluable in providing guidance on the interventions and the dialogue with Historic England, stakeholders and with Westminster Conservation Officers, to safeguard the significance of the building.

Snaresbrook Crown Court

Major redevelopment and extension to create the largest criminal court in Europe

CHALLENGE

Grade 2 listed Snaresbrook is designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and William Bonython Moffatt in 1843. Since 2010, HOK has undertaken various works for HMCTS. The latest project since 2019; following HOK’s delivery of a full masterplan for the SCC complex, sees HOK as Lead Architect and Conservation Architect overseeing the delivery of projects due in 2023. These comprised repairs and replacement to slate and leadwork, roof structural repairs, flat roof repairs, rooflight and stone repair/ replacement to facades and turrets, and window repairs. The key complexity in HMCTS’s portfolio is that the Court has to remain operational throughout the implementation of the works.

SOLUTION

To increase the existing Crown Court provision; including all associated ancillary support areas, three courts had to be decommissioned and eight new courts added, increasing the median number of courts from twenty-one to twenty-five. Projects are delivered in phases and the current repairs programme will be delivered in 4 phases. HOK liaised closely with Historic England to formulate an Enhanced Listing for the Court, allowing for clearer advice and decision making, and simplified future applications by the Contractors’ team as mid-to-late 20th century works were excluded from the Enhanced listing. This brought significant benefit to the Client.

111-113 Park Street

Townhouse character with boutique style high-end office retrofit

CHALLENGE

111-113 Park Street was acquired on a leasehold agreement from Grosvenor Estate by Mayfair Properties Ltd. HOK are providing architectural, interior design and conservation advice after initially producing a series of Feasibility Studies which looked at how the properties could be refurbished and put back onto the market. A key challenge was retaining the original townhouse characteristics of the buildings; due to their location in the Mayfair Conservation area, while introducing a playful and chic dimension for the Mayfair professional, with small, ‘boutique’ style businesses in mind. Resolving fire and exit strategies from the basement also presented particular challenges.

SOLUTION

Our designs sought to minimise extensive alterations and interventions to the historic fabric of the buildings. The works comprised a Category A fit-out which replaced all of the existing Building Services, carried out fabric repairs and required a rebuild of the main roof. Windows were replaced with a conservation range double-glazed traditionally detailed units. The design retained as much of the core and dividing walls as practicable and provided the most efficient use of the remaining space. The project includes smart technology, which helps the FM team to keep energy demand low. It was important to retain the Townhouse character in an area dominated by fashionable town houses and their Mews and that tell a tale of English Domestic Architecture.

Location London

Client Jacob Loftus - General Projects

Cost £5M Size 1,100sqm

protect transform preserve enhance WE

BIO

HOK has extensive experience and expertise in the development of projects that involve the conservation of historic buildings and sites. Our Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team provides integrated architectural, interior design, planning, and sustainability consulting solutions for a range of projects that involve challenging historic and cultural contexts. Our success on these projects is based on our expertise in creating and renewing buildings and sites in ways that help our client’s people, finances and environment.

Bespoke approach

This experience in working on historically diverse projects has facilitated real insights into the complexities of delivering architecture of cultural and heritage importance. Accordingly, HOK has a flexible attitude to delivering historic buildings and adopts a number of bespoke approaches that require a combination of research, knowledge, functional needs, stakeholder collaboration and architectural innovation.

Maintaining form and function

At HOK, we recognise that conservation of the cultural and historical elements of a building or site is just as important as maintaining its function and with the right expertise and judgement, assets can be creatively adapted to respond to new circumstances or uses. HOK ensures it fully understands the asset, its local environment, construction, use and operation both past and future, in order to accommodate the building’s changing patterns of use without compromising either its function or its heritage value.

Sustainability

Sustainability is intrinsic to every HOK project, with a focus on preserving natural resources and celebrating sustainable values. Heritage projects are not exempt, and HOK works continuously to balance heritage concerns with an ambitious sustainability agenda. Heritage buildings can robustly accommodate all types of change once the building is forensically understood, including its pathology. We ensure we know your building inside and out and work with Clients and stakeholders to manage change - understanding its impact on the longevity of the building fabric, materials and on significance. Through this approach we attain a balance between conservation, improved environmental performance and comfort.

Collaboration

Our design approach is based on a collaborative process that encourages close communication with the client and consultants to develop and interpret the brief, coordination with project team members to achieve project objectives and regular engagement with

the public and statutory bodies to ensure that the project is responding to stakeholder needs. We help our Clients to innovate, encouraging multidisciplinary professional teams to share knowledge and imagine new ways to solve the challenges of our built environment together.

Our approach

The HOK approach to service is based on a fundamental belief that the client experience during the project process is as important as the quality of the product itself. This need to provide clients with a quality experience permeates all of our services and markets.

British Museum, King’s Library

Successful conservation and modernisation of an iconic historic space

CHALLENGE

The British Museum’s King’s Library was originally designed by Sir Robert Smirke and was built between 1823 and 1827 to house the Royal Libraries of King George II and King George III. Although a stunning, unique and iconic Grade I listed space; and noted as one of the finest Neo-Classical rooms in London, it was not being used as a library and risked becoming rundown if it was not repurposed. A key challenge was finding the balance between modern building regulations and protecting the building’s historic significance.

SOLUTION

HOK’s Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team allowed the magnificent room to be completely revitalised by restoring the splendour of the decorative scheme and carrying out much needed conservation, repairs and cleaning to the ceilings, book presses, floors, wall surfaces of granite, alabaster, Carrera marble and Scagliola. In consultation with the British Museum, it was determined that the room itself should act as the primary exhibition. The project provided the British Museum with a new exhibition space whilst keeping interventions to the historic fabric of the Grade I listed building to a minimum. HOK worked closely with the Fire Consultants to select infra-red fire detection which was able to be concealed, resulting in a solution that respects the historic fabric and yet provides a level of compliance with modern regulations.

Location London

Client The British Museum

Cost £5M Size 200 m²

Awards

2004 RIBA Award

2004 RIBA Conservation Commendation

2004 Lighting Design Award

2004 Crown Estates’ Conservation Award

2005 RICS Conservation Award

2006 National Gold Winner, Green Apple Awards

British Museum Albukhary Gallery

Adding value through an understanding of heritage

CHALLENGE

The project, undertaken in conjunction with exhibition designers Stanton Williams, required a major new gallery in which to display the British Museum’s collections of the Islamic world. Our commission was appointed through the British Museum’s architectural framework, which includes architecture, design team leadership, conservation advisors and exhibition coordination. Key challenges included the integration of the heating and floor strengthening works required for the exhibition to display 2.5 tonne objects and the introduction of a new firefighting shaft and stairs within a very restricted site.

SOLUTION

The project consisted of reservicing and refurbishing two gallery spaces at the White Wing, lead roof and lantern replacement, plaster ceiling repairs and new lift and stair extensions. Our expertise in using BIM allowed us to model all of the steel fabrication (the model was used by the fabricators which had added real value in the design to construct process) and allowed HOK to coordinate all of the building services and new structural steelwork with the showcase design layout. Similarly, as conservation architects we added value by understanding what was likely to be acceptable to Historic England case officers and the local authority Conservation officers.

Location London

Client The British Museum Size

Palace of Westminster Committee Rooms

Restoration and refurbishment to protect and enhance a sensitive environment

CHALLENGE

A comprehensive refurbishment project seeing 16no. Committee rooms completely refurbished including the installation of new air conditioning, new power and data outlets, broadcasting facilities and aspirated fire detectors. The challenges were around the careful integration of services in the Grade I listed building and the project programme. The works could not cause disruption and there could be no programme overruns as Parliament must sit.

SOLUTION

Our experience in the careful integration of modern services in sensitive historic buildings guided our design and technical delivery of the requirements to ensure these Committee rooms remain fit-for-purpose. Other Conservation works included reviving and repairing the Pugin designed Oak panelling, new broadcasting cabinets to match the existing panelling, replacing the Pugin designed double flock wallpaper and reinstating the grained ceilings. We closely liaised with Westminster City Council, Historic England and the PE Conservation Architect monitoring the proposals, and works were carefully planned and carried out during the summer recess periods to avoid disruption.

Location Parliament Square, London Client Palace of Westminster

Cabinet War Rooms / Churchill Museum

Conserve, restore and interpret to facilitate the “telling of stories”

CHALLENGE

An extensive Conservation and refurbishment project in the basement and sub-basement levels within the Treasury building as an expansion of the Cabinet War Rooms historic site, including the creation of the Churchill Museum. One of the key challenges was the design of new interventions in keeping with the original 1940’s appearance (which included provision of environmental control to the entire museum) and the creation of a unique means-of-escape strategy for an unusual below-ground museum space.

SOLUTION

HOK worked closely with the Imperial War Museum in the conservation and presentation of the Churchill War Rooms, and HOK’s approach in the restoration was to ensure that the finished result captured the mood of the country during the World War II period. We focused conservation efforts in parts of the building that had survived intact, restored other areas to match contemporary photographs, and devised strategies that cleverly concealed modern services e.g. allowing the environmental controls for use as a smoke extract system if required by the fire brigade.

Location London Client Confidential

Cost £14M incl. exhibition Size 3,000 m²

Awards

2006 European Council Museum for the Year

2005 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement: Exhibit

2005 AV Magazine: Consumer Installation of the Year

2005 FX Magazine: Best Museum Award

2005 Group Leisure Award for Best New Attraction

2005 Visit London Bronze Prize in Best Big 2005 Attraction

Category Interpret Britain & Ireland Award - Winner

Canada House

CHALLENGE

The Canadian Government commissioned HOK between 1997 - 2021 on three separate conservation and refurbishment projects to alter their Grade II* listed High Commission building in Trafalgar Square. Challenges in these projects included future-proofing the building by installing new M&E services, creating environments for new gallery and exhibition spaces, making it more accessible, and introducing major security installations whilst retaining a ‘public’ centre where Canadian companies can do business.

SOLUTION

In the first project, HOK designed a scheme that made better use of the building as a Cultural Centre. Works were carried out to rid the building of asbestos and HOK sensitively integrated services and plant to provide modern gallery standards so that a wide range of exhibition material could be accommodated. To address the issue of accessibility; and to allow the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams and their families to access the building more easily during the summer of 2012, HOK managed to rewrite the ‘listing description’ and steer the project successfully through the Planning and Listed Building Consent process. This included the reinstatement of the original Trafalgar Square entrance.

Location London

Client Canadian Government Size 4,000 m² Cost £12M+

Conservation to create accessible ‘public’ spaces in secure environments

Gardener’s Lodge, Soho Square

CHALLENGE

In preparations for building the new Tottenham Court Road station for London Underground and CrossRail, HOK were commissioned to undertake a study of the half-timbered Grade II listed Tudor-style Gardener’s Lodge situated in Soho Square. The challenge was to better understand the foundations of the lodge and its relationship to the air-raid shelter below, and determine the works necessary to protect it from any uneven settlement that might occur from underground tunneling.

SOLUTION

Through investigations it became apparent that the lower parts of the main supporting timbers of the lodge had lost their strength through wood boring insects and rotting and the arbour/tool shed required urgent remedial works to safeguard it. We proposed a course of action that was approved by Historic England and Westminster City Council which involved the stripping of all the weight from the timber structure – the roof tiles and the infill panels from between the timbers –and then supporting the remaining timber structure on steelwork, allowing the bottom half of the timber posts to be cut through, removed and replaced.

Location London

Client Westminster City Council

Surveys and remedial works to protect and celebrate a local landmark

Manchester Central Library & Town Hall Extension

Conservation advice to guide interventions and investment in Manchester’s civic heart

CHALLENGE

The Grade II* listed Town Hall Extension and Central Library were both designed by the architect Vincent Harris and built some 50 years after Waterhouse’s Town Hall. The set piece circular Central Library was a much cherished space in Manchester and the third busiest library in the country before refurbishment. It required some significant reconfiguration and interventions to improve accessibility, flexibility and improved amenities for staff and public alike. The Town Hall Extension similarly required extensive transformation to deliver a building allowing improved Council services without compromising the building’s significance.

SOLUTION

Working with the Client and project teams, HOK provided conservation advice and managed the stakeholder engagements with the Historic England case officers, local Conservation Officers and The Victorian Society on all the conservation aspects of major proposals for the conservation, upgrading and enhancement of the grade Grade II* listed buildings.

HOK’s advice and in-depth consultation and negotiations assisted in securing some major design interventions to transform the buildings by opening up around 70% of the library, removing book stacks and floors and inserting new vertical circulation, and opening up floor spaces and removing artificial boundaries in the Town Hall Extension. This resulted in welcoming, inspirational, accessible and active public spaces that preserved the building’s original use and its significance.

Location Manchester, UK

Client Manchester City Council Cost £165M

Canadian Parliament

Expansion and conservation to preserve and modernise the “crown jewel” of Canadian Parliament

CHALLENGE

HOK is acting as Architect, Conservation Architect, Interiors and Landscape Architect in a joint venture with WSP (Centrus) to lead the design of the expansion, conservation, and restoration of the main facility of the Canadian Parliamentary complex (Centre Block) in Ottawa. A very complex project to modernise the building systems and improve its performance for a 21st century Parliament. Challenges includes the scale and sensitivity of the project (incl. seismic zone) and the fact that Centre Block has not had a comprehensive upgrade in over 100 years and that significant piecemeal modifications have been made to keep pace with evolving functional needs and requirements of a modern Parliament.

SOLUTION

Our design concept responds to these challenges by devising strategies that minimise the impact of interventions and protect the heritage value and character-defining attributes of the building and landscape. Key technical components addresses balancing security and openness to allow Canadians and other visitors continued access to witness the governing of Canada. The architectural vision was based on the simple concept to respect and restore the heritage character of the building, preserve it for generations and modernise it to meet evolving needs. HOK developed pioneering and totally bespoke real time visualisation technology to assess and evaluate design interventions interactively.

Location Ottawa, Canada

Client Canadian Parliament Size 50,500 m²

Image: thecanadianencyclopedia.ca

Masterplan

Palace of Westminster Masterplan

Restoration and renewal scenarios to a landmark heritage building

CHALLENGE

HOK has a proud tradition of working at the Palace of Westminster on a number of projects. In 2009 consultation work commenced on reports that would lead to the Medium Term Engineering works and the Restoration and Renewal programme. The Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme has been established by the Parliamentary Estate to tackle the significant work that needs to be done to protect and preserve the heritage of the Palace of Westminster and ensure it can continue to serve as home to the UK Parliament in the 21st century and beyond. The challenges involved in the restoration and renewal of this Grade I listed buildings and World Heritage Site are unique. They include the scale of the project, complexity of “threading services” in a Grade I listed building, the risk of unknowns and asbestos, noncompliance to current standards, the logistics around the World Heritage Site, the high-security environment and the historic, cultural and political significance of the Palace of Westminster.

SOLUTION

HOK as part of a consortium with Deloitte Real Estate and AECOM carried out the Independent Options Appraisal on the Restoration and Renewal Programme. HOK’s extensive understanding of the building’s architectural heritage, underpinned by our two decades of experience working at the Palace and across Whitehall, informed the report’s findings on what each scenario would aim to achieve and how to manage such a complex design project. HOK as part of the Core Team was based within the Parliamentary Estate to evaluate and advise on how the programme could be carried out. The IOA was a comprehensive, independent assessment that set out a range of scenarios, with costs, timescales, risks and benefits, which would involve the wholesale replacement of all the primary and secondary pipework, cabling and ductwork, much of which is concealed behind historic fabric. HOK’s specialist knowledge was sought in reviewing documentation from seventeen work strand disciplines that the Client team had prepared, and HOK assembled indicative scopes for costing. Additionally HOK advised on building conservation matters, building information modelling and integrated project delivery.

Location London Client Houses of Parliament

St Bartholomew’s Hospital

Sympathetically weaving modern efficiency into Europe’s oldest hospital

CHALLENGE

HOK was selected as the architect by Skanska for the £1.1 billion PFI scheme to simultaneously redevelop both St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London Hospitals. Barts is an adaptive reuse of a specialist cancer and cardiac centre with 65,000m2 of new accommodation. Key challenges included the historical significance of the site, with St Bartholomew’s Hospital believed to be the oldest hospital in Europe. The site features an 18th century courtyard of Georgian buildings, an 11th century chapel, and a Grade I listed Gatehouse that is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is located in the Smithfield Conservation Area It was critical to address the listed buildings and structures in a sensitive and sympathetic, yet functional manner to meet the brief. The hospitals were also required to remain operational during construction.

SOLUTION

HOK’s design provided a contemporary design sympathetic to the existing surrounding Georgian architecture. 343 new beds; over 9 floors, were configured around historic Courtyards and sensitively wove modern efficiency into the historic fabric of the old hospital. HOK selectively retained the historic heart of Bart’s through its design, which has incorporated the existing listed buildings. HOK’s experience of complex statutory consultation processes were invaluable in dealing with the significant heritage challenges encountered. HOK’s Heritage + Adaptive Reuse team also prepared a development strategy that required a full review of the existing estate and jointly with the Trust developed and implemented a detailed programme to keep the hospitals operating during construction.

Location London

Client Skanska Innisfree Cost £1.1bn Size 65,000 m²

Awards

2016 European Healthcare Design Awards: NHS Healthcare Design Award (St Bartholomew’s Hospital Redevelopment and King George V Building)

2018 London First: Improvement to Londoner’s Quality of Life Award: St Barts and The Royal London Hospital

Gillette Corner Masterplan

CHALLENGE

The Gillette Corner Masterplan provided for the retention, extension and conversion to a 505-bedroom (38, 940 square metres) hotel (with conference and health and leisure facilities) of Banister Fletcher’s iconic, Grade II listed frontage buildings of 1936 (including the distinctive, 45m high, clocktower; a major landmark in West London both by day and by night). It further included the redevelopment of the remainder of the 4.15 hectare site; occupied until early 2007 by Gillette as their UK manufacturing and administrative headquarters; as a new, landscaped, business park offering some 47, 000m2 of new, flexible, employment-led, business floorspace (designed to cater for a full range of business use, including Class B.1, (a) office, B.1(b) research and development and B.1 (c) light industrial uses) in a series of six separate buildings. A key challenge was securing Planning and Listed Building Consent for the proposed Masterplan development.

SOLUTION

The proposed business complex will create the equivalent of around 2,200 full-time jobs in addition to acting as a catalyst for substantial improvements to the area’s public transport. Securing Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for the proposed alteration, extension and restoration of the original Gillette building, and the redevelopment of the greater part of the former Gillette site, required extensive negotiation with the local planning authority (the London Borough of Hounslow Council), the Mayor of London/GLA, and significant consultation with bodies such as Historic England and The Twentieth Century Society, in addition to the local community.

Location London

Client The Bonnington Group

Cost £60M

Size 40,000 m² Hotel and Conference Facilities 47,000 m² Business units

Masterplan regeneration of a prominent local Art Deco landmark

British Library Masterplan, Boston Spa

Phased Masterplan to safeguard the nation’s knowledge for the future

CHALLENGE

Boston Spa is the hub and heart of the British Library where 60% of the nation’s knowledge is stored. HOK’s 80-year, phased masterplan outlines the strategy for safeguarding the Library’s collection for the future and create a new home for the 860 existing staff. The storage - 15 buildings (formerly a Second World War munitions factory) across 42 acres - incorporates some of the world’s most high-tech buildings that are low-oxygen and robot-enabled. The retrieval process of knowledge - via automated storage - is possibly the quickest in the world. HOK’s challenge was to fully understand the complex, operational characteristics of the site to inform the design process.

SOLUTION

HOK obtained an understanding of the operational characteristics of the site; in part, by detailed site analysis, a comprehensive staff survey and selected employee interviews. Planning permission has been granted for the masterplan of this site. HOK updated the masterplan in 2015 and this work was completed in 2016.

Location Wetherby, West Yorkshire

Client British Museum

Size 42 Ha

Meda’in Saleh Masterplan

Management and Masterplan for a proposed World Heritage Site

CHALLENGE

HOK undertook a commission to advise the Saudi government on the future of historic monuments and archaeological sites throughout the Kingdom. This involved preparing guidance on new protective legislation, on interpretation and visitor facilities, making proposals for conservation, repair and future maintenance of archaeological sites and historic buildings and preparing Management and Masterplans for those places being considered for inclusion in the list of World Heritage Sites.

A key challenge was the scale of the sites to cover and the works carried out covered several aspects including new legislation to govern the protection of archaeological sites, underwater sites, historic buildings, urban areas, artifacts, art and handicrafts and the creation of governmental and charitable organisations that will encourage high standards in conservation and develop guidance.

SOLUTION

Under the guidance of HOK and PLB local architecture students and archaeologists gathered data on every aspect of Meda’in Salih ready for a masterplanning and management planning exercise in early 2000’s with the object of being able to put the site forward for acceptance.

The project began with a series of field trips to selected historic sites throughout the Kingdom in order to create a questionnaire suitable for gathering data on the potential for sites to be developed for tourism. During 2002 HOK and PLB began preparing a Master Plan for the proposed World Heritage Site at Meda’in Salih.

It was determined that the Nabatean site at Meda’in Saleh required urgent action as plans for a theme park were disclosed by the local Planning Authority, which although conforming in all respects to Planning Law would have destroyed the potential for the site to attain World Heritage Site status. This site has since been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Location Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Client Saudi Government Size 100 Ha

Sustainable Heritage

WE research measure de-risk reform

Sustainable heritage - adaptive reuse approach

HOK approaches adaptive heritage and re-use with sensitivity and ambition when it comes to improving environmental performance. We understand the importance of architectural conservation and restoration, but also that it presents an opportunity to improve operational performance and reduce adverse environmental impact. The challenge is to balance façade and building services improvements which does not diminish the inherent character and integrity of historic assets.

A well-practiced methodology

Forensic review and predictive modelling

Our methodology is well practiced and delivers excellent results. It starts with knowing what we’re working with. We forensically review existing building information to form a clear understanding of the condition and working performance. This often involves various site studies and an analysis of the building services energy use to gauge the operational efficiency.

Building facades and the way spaces are configured has a significant influence on energy use. We test a

range of façade improvement measures using dynamic simulation modelling (DSM) factoring local climate and site conditions. We can then present a range of options for cost and performance assessment. Some refurbishment options are straight forward and can be discreetly incorporated whilst others can incur visual compromises, so a sensitive balance and close working relationship with our clients and heritage building groups is essential to ensure the asset’s important historical value remains protected.

Not just retrofit, but future-fit Balanced but informed proposals Façade improvements can reduce the extent of building services and energy use significantly, creating more space internally as well as reducing operational costs. This can be a vital aspect in adaptive reuse, by reducing the complexity of existing building services and creating economic feasibility to reactivate spaces and bring new business and functions into under-used or disused spaces. This also gives more flexibility to internal re-configuration to provide more adaptive use options and opportunities for change management drivers.

We achieve this by prioritising a fabric first approach and using passive design principles as far as possible. Protecting the character of the existing facades, however, often presents compromises, such as difficulty introducing external solar shade on listed facades. This is where our expertise can offer balanced but informed proposals which evaluates and quantifies any compromises, so we can explore alternative ways to achieve net zero targets. We do this at pace to minimise programme impact, which our clients appreciate, especially when heritage projects can throw up a lot of unknown situations.

Enhancements and appropriate repairs Interventions conceived with sensitivity and understanding

We also pay attention to best practice when marrying old construction with current practice, making sure not to introduce interstitial condensation or thermal bridge risks when improving the buildings thermal performance. We prioritise natural, breathable materials with good thermal mass (where beneficial) to help temper internal diurnal temperature fluctuations, improve occupant comfort and reduce building services loads. We also design with robustness and longevity in mind as part of a circular economy commitment to designing out waste, by selecting materials and construction methods which complement, rather than conflict with more traditional methods.

each design stage to ensure embodied carbon savings and low environmental impact is kept on track up to practical completion.

Supporting our Clients Collaborate to transform

We also work closely with our clients after practical completion to offer ongoing support as part of our commitment to onward learning and improving, not just as a design practice but also to support our industry learning more about the performance gap and how we can reduce it in future. We find this is incredibly important to our clients and building users and ensures we always keep occupant comfort and efficient operational performance in mind. This is why we work so closely with our client teams and building users at the outset. We conduct user group surveys to inform functional requirements to bring better clarity to the briefing process and avoid inefficient and costly changes later.

Setting standards

Benchmarking and evaluating impact

We conduct life cycle assessments to explore design options and evaluate the environmental impacts, including embodied carbon, non-renewable energy use and water use, amongst other KPIs. A range of options are studied during concept stage to inform the best (least impacting) approach, which is continued at

Functional requirements can sometimes be in conflict with the natural environmental response, but we believe that all projects can respond with the correct guidance. Our Sustainable design approach is exploratory with a robust yet adaptive assessment methodology that can flexibly respond to projects of all sectors and scales. We help our Clients to innovate, encouraging multidisciplinary professional teams to share knowledge and imagine new ways to solve the challenges of our built environment together.

“we care about serving our clients, enriching lives, improving communities and protecting our natural environment through design.”

HOK Network

Founded in 1955 and currently employing around 1,700 staff in 26 offices globally, HOK is one of the largest, most diverse and acclaimed architectural design firms in the world.

HOK’s international capability derives from investment in fully-resourced operational centres in each of its studios.

Integrated with the expertise of some of the world’s top specialists by discipline and sector, these are all linked by state-of-the-art computing technology.

Our approach to design excellence is exemplified through the work of our London office, creating solutions that respond to the city’s greatest challenges.

We are specialists across multiple sector, our team offers a diverse range of services for developments of all typologies on a global scale.

Our design solutions result from a collaborative process. We act as a trusted advisor, seeking to understand each client's unique needs and connect planning and design services across sectors to see the 'big picture'.

We help our clients to innovate, encouraging multi-disciplinary professional teams to share knowledge and imagine new ways to solve the challenges of our built environment together.

Sustainability is intrinsic to every HOK project, with a focus on preserving natural resources and celebrating sustainable values.

HOK’s Global Network

HOK works with a global network of partners to serve clients with projects around the world. HOK leverages an infrastructure designed specifically to manage the complexities of regionally diverse real estate portfolios, and organises our teams around each client’s structure and project. The Global Network gives our clients the certainty that they can expect and receive quality of service no matter where their projects may be, because we will combine our global knowledge with the local expertise of design practices respected in their home cities and countries.

The HOK European Architects Network

The HOK European Architects Network serves clients who want to undertake projects in countries across Europe. It offers a local presence with access to global expertise. The HOK European Architects Network has offices in cities throughout the region. Our knowledge of local market variations and national planning and building laws offers the appeal of working with well-established European practices supported by the delivery capacity of HOK’s worldwide organisation.

CANADA

Calgary | Ottawa | Toronto

EUROPE London

Our global network of 26 offices enables us to expand or contract our design teams to suit the needs of each project.

ASIA PACIFIC Beijing | Hong Kong | Shanghai

UNITED STATES

Atlanta | Austin | Chicago |

Columbus | Dallas | Denver |

Houston | Kansas City | Los Angeles

| Miami | New York | Philadelphia |

San Francisco | Seattle | St. Louis |

Tampa | Washington DC

INDIA Mumbai

MIDDLE EAST

Dubai

Selected Project Timeline

Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage: Clarkencombe Lodge, winner of Gold Green Apple Award: Green Champion

RECYCLED

Supporting responsible use of forest resources www.fsc.org

© 1996 Forest Steward Council

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HOK is committed to building a better world and leading clients toward a sustainable future. In addition to writing a book on sustainable design, we're advancing green innovations for every building type, region and budget. Given the urgency of global climate change, HOK understands the importance of creating a carbon neutral design future.