Whilst an equity director at Orms Richard Warwick led the scheme to convert the 1970s Brutalist Camden Town Hall Annexe into a luxury 270 room hotel. The scheme involved a very complex planning process as the site was opposite two Grade 1 listed buildings.
The new roof top extension completed what was an otherwise an inelegant building. Rather than a simple glass box, the new rooftop articulates and draws inspiration for its form from the concrete building below.
From a technical perspective the design and construction was particularly complex as services were threaded through the existing concrete structure. The design included a 3 storey extension, a new restaurant, lounge, new public realm and landscaping.
The original 8 storey building was built in 1970 and is formed of reinforced concrete, pre-cast concrete panels and bronze windows, designed by Camden Borough Architect Sydeny Cook.
Known as the Camden Town Hall Extenion (or Annexe), it was used by the council from 1973 to 2014 when staff moved to new purpose built offices in the nearby Kings Cross development.
The award winning scheme which we see today beat design competition (all of whom proposed full demolition), with this conversion and restoration, that retains the existing building.
The 20th Century Society considered the design “a sympathetic response to the key qualities of the building which would influence new audiences to the positive qualities of 70s architecture”
Camden Town Hall Annexe before the refurbishment
