Client: DWS
Architect: John Robertson Architects
Façade Consultant: Thornton Tomasetti
Façade Contractor: OAG
Located in London, Northcliffe House is an exemplar of sensitive renovation and ambitious engineering. Originally constructed in the 1920s–30s for the Daily Mail printing press and offices, the building underwent various adaptations—including a conversion into commercial offices in the 1970s and a refurbishment in the early 2000s. Thornton Tomasetti joined the project at Stage 3 in November 2020, supporting construction through its practical completion in 2024, following planning approval in December 2020. The project was delivered by John Robertson Architects, and main contractor ISG, with OAG supplying the curtain walling.
Heritage Retention and Minimal Intervention
A central challenge was respecting the building’s heritage while upgrading performance. The team retained and restored large steel windows in the main elevation, adding secondary glazing where necessary. Rather than replacing, they deep-cleaned the solid anodised aluminium curtain wall added during the 2000 refurbishment—extending its lifespan, reducing material waste, and cutting embodied carbon. The façade engineering team strategically dismantled only sections essential for the extension, preserving the majority of the existing façade.
Enhancing Safety with Elegance
A notable innovation involved the atrium’s full-height glazing. The original 15 mm monolithic toughened glass lacked documentation on heat-soak testing—a critical omission for occupant safety. Instead of wholesale replacement, the team applied carefully engineered safety films: decorative on the spandrel and functional post-breakage containment film toward the office side. The films were integrated into existing rebates, enhancing safety while preserving existing glazing.
Advanced Performance Façade Systems
The project introduced several high-performance façade elements:
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A steel-framed, double-glazed rooflight spanning approximately 21 × 7.5 m above the atrium.
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An aluminium stick-system façade with slim thermally broken steel doors meeting demanding performance standards.
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Acoustically enhanced internal atrium glazing using laminated safety glass.
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Secondary glazing featuring lowemissivity coatings.
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Ground-floor entrances integrating flat and curved glass facades, circular sliding doors, and a structural glass-block bridge over an existing lightwell.
Integrated Collaborative Design
Given limited asbuilt documentation, close collaboration with structural engineers and surveyors was essential. This coordination ensured the building could support two new floors without compromising existing structural integrity. Safety considerations also informed the façade choices—for instance, the timing and method of applying decorative film to the spandrels were carefully sequenced to align with rooflight reconstruction activities, prioritising Health & Safety in Design.
Sustainability and Wellbeing
Northcliffe House achieved BREEAM Outstanding, an EPC B rating, and WELL “Ready” status—surpassing RIBA 2030 embodied carbon targets. A Life Cycle Assessment revealed that retaining the superstructure and façade saved approximately 368 kg CO₂e/m² (a 53 % reduction compared to demolition), with the refurbishment adding just 326 kg CO₂e/m²—resulting in a total of 694 kg CO₂e/m². All waste was diverted from landfill via robust recycling protocols.
Further environmental enhancements include air-source heat pumps, improved insulation, 40 m² of rooftop photovoltaic panels, and end-of-journey facilities (cycle storage, showers, lockers). Three biodiverse terraces and a lightweight rooflight bring daylight and fresh air into the interior—boosting occupant health and well-being. The building records low mains-water consumption and strong airtightness (existing façades: 15 m³/h·m² at 50 Pa; new façades: 5 m³/h·m²), with heating and hot-water loads of just 13.7 kWh/m²/yr and overall U-value ≤ 1.40 W/m²K; annual CO₂ emissions are similarly low at 7.59 kg CO₂e/m².
Architectural Responsiveness
Respect for its Whitefriars Conservation Area context and Grade II listed façade was central to design decisions. The building retains its heritage presence while enhancing the public realm—featuring public artworks referencing Fleet Street’s journalism legacy, exhibitions of the building’s history, and sensitive lighting and terrace design. The stepped terraces with high planting respect residential neighbours and heritage sightlines, while the entrance’s warm lantern lighting complements the nearby Temple precinct. Internally, the design blends 1920s postwar details with modern, flexible office planning suitable for postpandemic working.
Summary
Northcliffe House exemplifies the power of thoughtful refurbishment. Thornton Tomasetti’s façade engineering balanced conservation and innovation—extending the life of existing materials, advancing safety, elevating thermal and acoustic performance, and promoting a sustainable, healthy workspace. In doing so, the project sets a new benchmark for façade engineering in heritage buildings.