Situated on St James’s Street in the heart of Westminster, the Grade II listed former Gentlemen’s club has been transformed into 100,000 sq ft of modern workspace, with a new clubhouse style lounge, wellness spaces and rooftop terrace.
78 St James’s Street is a building of two halves: a historic Victorian former Gentlemen’s club with grand proportions and intricate detailing, and a seven-story modern workspace building added to the rear during a 2001 redevelopment by Squire & Partners. The two halves are joined by a covered atrium space, flooded with natural light.
Twenty years later, BentallGreenOak approached Squire & Partners once again to evolve the site into a highly collaborative, clubhouse-style working environment with a 24/7 ethos. Throughout, materiality and finishes have been meticulously restored to preserve period details while integrating contemporary elements, delivering an unparalleled workspace experience.
Client BentallGreenOak
Structural Engineer Bridges Pound
MEP Hurley Palmer Flatt
Project & Cost Management Gardiner & Theobald
Planning Consultant DP9
Landscape Design Bowles & Wyer
Lighting Design Speirs Major
“When we set out to reimagine 78, we took great inspiration from The Department Store, Squire & Partners’ HQ in Brixton. It’s a prime example of an historic building repurposed to outperform its new-build competition. It works very well as a productive workspace, but it also has the hard and soft amenities within a characterful setting; making it a place people genuinely want to be. Given their history with 78 and their expertise in delivering The Department Store, Squire & Partners were the perfect partners for this transformation.” - Phil Haddleton, Principal, BentallGreenOak
2023 Shortlisted
Building Design Refurbishment Architect of the Year
2023 Corporate Offices, Winner
WIN Awards
2023 Workspace Interiors, Shortlisted
Mix Awards
2023 West End Refurbishment/Regeneration, Winner
OAS Development Awards
BREEAM rating Excellent
Retains 80% of the existing structure
Hospitality-led workspace
Neglected and underutilised for years, The Saloon and The Morning Room have been reinstated as key social spaces, echoing the building’s original use as a members’ club. A newly installed feature sculpture welcomes guests into the striking heritage reception at the heart of the building.
The Morning Room – a beautifully preserved example of 19th century architecture which overlooks St James’s Street – has been transformed into a club-style business lounge, offering a social environment suitable for hosting informal meetings and laptop-based working during the day, as well as gatherings and entertaining in the evening.
Designed in collaboration with English bespoke furniture and joinery makers Benchmark, a freestanding bar, banquette seating, consoles and tables offer a modern interpretation of the building’s rich heritage features.
Member amenities
A rooftop pavilion and garden replace outdated plant space, offering sweeping views across Westminster and Green Park. Terrace furniture and integrated seating create a multi-use space suitable for meetings, socialising and large events. Internally, the new pavilion features banquette seating and a bespoke bar serving daytime snacks and evening drinks, providing an additional work environment away from the desk or meeting room.
The existing atrium has been rearranged, enhancing connectivity between the historic and modern wings. The vaulted lower ground floor has been transformed to provide additional member amenities, including an extensive wellness suite, the multi-use Collab Space which doubles as both an auditorium and fitness suite, as well as luxurious end of trip amenities to support active commutes.
Sustainability
Retaining 80% of the existing structure significantly reduces embodied carbon. The project also eliminated diesel use during construction, saving over 5,550 kg CO2e during the build.
