Proposed
Glass Canvas terrace and entrance views, Sechi Smith - elevation views
A new standard for City retrofits. We have retained the embodied carbon of the existing floors and elevations, and extended them responsibly to give a new HQ building of around 300,000sqft.
The redevelopment of 1 St Martin’s Le Grand, designed by Orms for Ho Bee Land, seeks to create a distinctive architectural landmark within the City of London. The scheme enhances the historic classical façade while integrating contemporary additions, interiors, and amenities.
Located within the Postman’s Park Conservation Area, the building was originally constructed in the 1890s as part of the General Post Office, later altered in the 1980s for banking use. The current proposal sensitively adapts the structure to provide high-quality Class E office accommodation and retail, enhancing public engagement with the space.
A reconfigured entrance on St Martin’s Le Grand creates a more inviting arrival experience and a new pedestrian route to King Edward Street. This space, adjacent to Postman’s Park, provides improved visual connections to the green space and the Roman wall. Increased porosity at ground level, with new entrances and enhanced public realm elements such as planting and seating, fosters a more accessible and pedestrian-friendly streetscape.
Remodelling efforts introduce multiple terrace levels with planted amenity spaces, supporting both social interaction and wellbeing. High-quality facilities include rooftop gardens, auditoria, wellness suites, and extensive cycle parking. Large, flexible office floor plates with generous ceiling heights prioritize occupant health and comfort.
Sustainability is embedded through a rigorous approach to intervention, retention, and reuse. Circular economy strategies enable the retention of 75-80% of the existing fabric, reducing embodied carbon. These efforts contribute to a people-centric infrastructure, promoting placemaking and a shift towards cleaner energy. Enhanced pedestrian pathways and green spaces improve urban connectivity, aligning with broader sustainability and wellbeing goals.
The transformation of 1 St Martin’s Le Grand seeks to set a new benchmark for sophisticated and elegant reuse, by retaining and enhancing the cultural and historic fabric with adaptation targeting the highest sustainability targets and technologies, designing for longevity.
Sensitive & innovative approaches have been set out for deconstruction and reuse to enable significant internal enhancements, with reduced embodied carbon impact.
The opportunity to work with and enhance the beautiful historic elements has needed a forensic review of historic documentation to thoroughly understand and pic apart the true elements from the 1980s amendments. This provided the basis for renewing the original and weaving in a more open and generous piece of architecture in the City.
Melanie Martin, Associate Director at Orms
Project information
Status
Proposed
Borough
City of London
Size
42070 sq m
Completion
2029
Team Credits
Architect
Orms
Structural Engineer
Elliott Wood
M&E / Sustainability Engineer
Hilson Moran
Listed by
Last updated on
01/04/2025