GPE
170 Piccadilly
A quiet transformation in the heart of the West End, where 8build has reworked two listed buildings into a workplace defined by character, clarity and care.
KEY FACTS
Architect: dMFK
PM: Avison Young
PQS: Exigere
Services Consultant: Hoare Lea
Structural Engineer: Elliott Wood
TEAM
Project: Fit Out / Refurbishment
Sector: Commercial
Size: 55,208 sq ft
Programme: 69 weeks
Contract: Two Stage, JCT Design & Build
The Project
Some buildings don’t need to be reinvented. They need to be understood. At 170 Piccadilly, we’ve brought two Grade II Listed buildings back into focus – carefully reshaping them into a workplace that feels as relevant today as it did over a century ago. Working with dMFK and our valued client GPE, we’ve unified Egyptian House and Dudley House, originally built in 1905 as gentleman’s chambers. What we found beneath years of change was a building with clarity, proportion and character. Our role was to reveal it, then quietly move it forward.
Revealing What Matters
We began by stripping things back. Not just finishes, but layers of decisions that had slowly obscured the building’s original intent. In doing so, ceiling heights were recovered, routes became clearer and the spaces started to breathe again. It is a familiar approach for us, especially across London, where the best results often come from working with what is already there rather than against it.
A Careful Balance
Introducing modern performance into a listed structure always asks more of the team. Every decision carries weight. New services, all electric systems and upgraded glazing have been integrated with care, improving how the building performs without disturbing its character. Where original features revealed themselves, we made space for them to be seen again. Nothing forced. Nothing overstated.
A Different Pace of Workplace
The experience of the building has shifted as much as its fabric. A more social, considered environment now sits at its heart, with shared spaces that look onto a landscaped courtyard. It’s a quieter kind of workplace, one that values comfort, quality and the way people move through a space over the course of a day.
Working with Sensitivity
Delivering this kind of transformation in a listed building, in a location like Piccadilly, calls for a steady hand. It’s about asking the right questions early, working closely with the design team and supply chain, and knowing when to step in and when to step back. That balance is what allows projects like this to feel seamless.
So proud of the grit and determination shown by this team... for anyone that has refurbished a listed building you will understand the challenges this brings, but the rewards are even greater.
Helen Hare, Head of Projects, GPE
Photos by Ed Reeve