At KOVA KX, Native Land and Ashby Capital are transforming an Edwardian building into 70,000 sqft of lab-enabled workspace to serve research-led businesses in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.

KOVA KX is a landmark adaptive reuse project by Native Land and Ashby Capital, transforming an Edwardian building into 70,000 sq ft of lab-enabled workspace in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter. Designed by Stiff + Trevillion architects, the KOVA KX retains 75% of the original building fabric while upgrading it to meet modern standards of comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The repositioning addresses the increasing demand for flexible laboratory and office spaces from life sciences and technology businesses, with a ‘lab-enabled’ specification allowing easy conversion between office and laboratory use. The building will feature Containment Level 2 enabled spaces, catering to the specific needs of life science tenants.

Strategically located near institutions such as The Francis Crick Institute, UCL, and the British Library, KOVA KX will support London’s thriving life sciences sector. Built as the Salvation Army headquarters and later home to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, the project breathes new life into this historic structure while preserving its legacy.
The redevelopment includes a two-storey extension, increasing the net floor area from 55,000 to 70,000 sq ft, alongside three new terraces for occupiers. A public café at ground level will foster community interaction, while 152 cycle parking spaces support active travel. Targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating and an EPC A rating, KOVA KX is designed to outperform RIBA and LETI 2030 embodied carbon goals with emissions of just 250-300kg CO2E/sq m. The building’s all-electric services further align with the shift toward cleaner energy.

Construction is well underway with completion expected in Summer 2026.

Alasdair Nicholls, Chief Executive of Native Land, said:
“Our aim is to deliver high quality workspace for London’s Knowledge Quarter, with outstanding floor-to-ceiling heights that create large-volume creative workspaces that can be rapidly converted to science and technology research. 105 Judd Street is a flagship project that supports the aims and objectives of the Knowledge Quarter and embodies Native Land’s mission to provide innovative, sustainable, mixed-use urban projects, offering a first-class experience for occupiers.”