Set on a prominent corner at the junction of Holborn Circus, Hatton Garden and Ely Place, this historic block delivers a carefully planned mix of Cat A and Cat B workspace. The double-height former NatWest banking hall forms the heart of the scheme, animated by a striking helical staircase that leads to a new mezzanine level, unlocking additional lettable space while celebrating the building’s heritage features. Below ground, the former bank vaults are repurposed as shower facilities and cycle storage.
- Location
- Farringdon, London
- Size
- 24,000 sqft
- Client
- Epsilon Real Estate Partners
Originally constructed in the 1870s, the building had evolved incrementally over time, resulting in a mix of spaces with varying quality and coherence. The brief was to refurbish the former banking hall at One Hatton Garden alongside the adjoining office accommodation at One Ely Place, creating a flexible workplace offer capable of supporting different types of occupier and leasing strategy.
Before and After
The ambition was to balance heritage and performance: retaining the presence and character of the banking hall while significantly improving circulation, amenity and adaptability across the building. Delivering a combination of Cat A and Cat B floors was key, allowing some spaces to be tailored by incoming tenants while others could be occupied immediately, supporting both short- and long-term value.
The ground, first and fourth floors are refurbished to Cat A standard, providing light, efficient floorplates ready for tenant fit-out, while the third floor is delivered as Cat B workspace, complete with workstations, meeting rooms, phone booths, kitchenettes and breakout areas. A consistent material palette of high-quality natural finishes and muted tones brings cohesion across both specifications.
At ground level, the double-height banking hall is carefully reworked around a sculptural helical staircase, which introduces a clear sense of arrival and connects to a new mezzanine level without compromising the hall’s original proportions. Below, the conversion of the former vaults into showers and cycle storage ensures the building supports contemporary patterns of use, allowing its historic fabric to work hard for modern working life.
