Contents | Executive Summary | Architecture Strategy Architecture StrategyAim Regent Street is a street of international acclaim. It was redeveloped in the 1920s on 80 year ground leases and as these come to their end, there is a need to reinvest in the Street to ensure that it continues to live up to its expectations as a place for people, a place for retail and a place for business, within the very heart of one of the world's great cities. Such reinvestment needs to be undertaken with great care and, as active an responsible managers, The Crown Estate is committed to achieving high ideals in terms of urban design and architecture fit for its function both for projects directly developed by The Crown Estate and those developed under new ground lease arrangements. This document sets out policies to retain the outstanding architectural heritage of Regent Street, and to add to it in the 21st Century. The purpose of this policy statement is to:
THE CONTEXT Regent Street has a distinguished architectural history and is recognised as one of London's finest set pieces. Its comprehensive redevelopment early in the last century was an outstanding example of a number of individually distinguished architects working within an over-arching set of rules to achieve a richly varied and yet coherent urban design. The intention of this document is to establish an equivalent framework for the 21st Century as the Street undergoes substantial restructuring to meet its modern functions. It is The Crown Estate's intention that very high standards of architectural design, consistent with financial and commercial considerations, will be the hallmark of all 21st Century developments on its Regent Street estate. The context for this development programme is very different from the administrative and commercial circumstances of a century ago. Firstly, we now operate within a sophisticated land-use planning system that has imposed a statutory protection on the existing buildings fronting both sides of the Street, and exercises constraints on adjacent development falling within the Mayfair and Soho Conservation Areas. The architecture policy for Regent Street is intended to provide a constructive backdrop to negotiations with Westminster City Council and English Heritage on individual schemes. Secondly, there is now much greater diversity in architectural design and materials than a century ago, and less of a consensus on matters of architectural style. Thirdly, as functional requirements have changed, recognition has grown that further change is inevitable and the permanence of a development depends on its inherent flexibility and adaptability. Finally, there are new pressures on the designer, including a complex web of technical legislation and a new emphasis on sustainability that affects environmental controls and choice of materials. This architecture policy is designed to work in conjunction with the Regent Street Conservation Plan. New architecture on the Regent Street estate should generally complement and respect the buildings, streets and features of architectural and historic significance identified in the Conservation Plan. A HIERARCHY OF CONTEXT There are three distinctive situations or contexts within which the architects will be working. Each merits a distinctive approach to design. These are:
Regent Street Frontages Facades The powerful Edwardian architecture of Regent Street with its richly decorated Portland Stone façades creates a formal set piece that must be respected and protected. Architectural policy will centre on the maintenance of these façades, and consideration will be given to the reinstatement of original fenestration and architectural features where these have been replaced or destroyed. Similar considerations apply to rear and return elevations where these are of equivalent architectural quality. Roofscape Careful consideration for the integrity of the original fabric should extend to the roofscapes. These present a final flourish to many of the blocks, with steeply rising mansards, cupolas and other features. The introduction of additional accommodation and plant rooms at roof top level will generally be constrained by the need to protect existing rooflines. Any additions that would be visible from surrounding streets or buildings should be designed in simple forms and muted colours that would not detract from the original roofscape, or be disproportionate to the original building. Shopfronts Shopfronts and signage provide the opportunity for present day tenants to establish their identity and add colour and individuality within the strong frame of the architecture of Regent Street. The Edwardian character of the Street is very dominant and in many ways at odds with the 21st Century image of a retail environment. Imagination and flair in the design of shopfronts, shopfitting, lighting and signage offer the opportunity to add temporal vitality at street level without impairing the permanence of Regent Street's overall architectural character. Regent Street shopfront guidelines should be reviewed accordingly. Interiors The Conservation Plan identifies few interiors that are of architectural importance, being mostly utilitarian by comparison with the exuberant façades. In most blocks the original internal sub-division is unsuited to modern commercial requirements - room sizes are too small, floor-to-floor heights too restricted and stairwells poorly located. These are matters that have to be addressed if the buildings are to have a viable future and remain in full active use. Whilst the construction of new interiors behind the retained façades of listed buildings is not normally regarded as good conservation practice, the circumstances in Regent Street generally appear to justify this approach. This creates opportunities for architectural innovation and dramatic new interiors that offer fresh experiences for shoppers and better working conditions in offices. New floorplates should never cut across existing windows and partition walls should not connect to window mullions. Careful lighting and window dressing must minimise any impression from the street of any unavoidable mismatch between the interior and exterior of the building. Principal Side Streets The Conservation Plan classifies buildings on side streets into three categories; listed buildings, buildings that make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area, and those that make no such contribution. Generally the same considerations set out for the Regent Street façades should apply to other listed buildings on the estate, subject to any advice in the Conservation Plan regarding their interiors. The demolition of buildings that make no contribution to the Conservation Area should not be in contention. The demolition of unlisted buildings that make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area is to be resisted unless proposed replacement buildings are of genuine architectural quality, and preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area. Unlisted buildings provide valuable opportunities to refresh and reinvigorate the Street's urban fabric, and carefully selected architects will be required to rise to this new challenge. Where new buildings are designed for principal side streets, they should be recognisably modern in style, maintaining the convention that individual properties in streets of mixed buildings are representative of the age in which they were built. Replacement retail and office buildings are likely to require larger floorplates to meet modern commercial needs. Nevertheless, they should have proper regard to the characteristics of the street, reflecting its rhythms in terms of plot size, scale of elements, and heights. Where a consistent cornice line, facia or string course is a feature of the street it may be appropriate to continue this line in the new elevation to relate it to its neighbours. Unless a particular facing material is used exclusively in a street, there need be no prescription in the choice of material for a new building other than that it be of very durable and attractive quality. Good streets are collections of well-mannered buildings that do not excite undue individual attention. Buildings that are over dramatic or eye catching can easily undermine the architectural integrity of the street as a whole. Backland Sites Backland areas behind the principle street frontages are mostly lacking the architectural quality that distinguishes the two Conservation Areas. In these situations there are fewer constraints on the design of new buildings. They provide opportunities for more radical modern designs that break away from conventional styles and materials, and fully respond to contemporary functional and technological considerations. Unattractive and neglected rear spaces can be transformed by bold projects creating new links between Regent Street and its hinterland, using urban design and place making skills to add some wholly 21st Century dimensions to the Regent Street Estate. Generally, existing street patterns should be preserved and cherished for the way they connect the modern scene to its historic past, providing continuity that often dates back beyond the surviving buildings. Existing streets may also offer important views that should not be lost by redevelopment. Exceptionally, however, there may be opportunities to remodel or realign back streets to create more attractive and effective circulation that is safer for pedestrians and more successful in commercial terms. Such changes need to be considered in the context of wider studies of pedestrian movement in the surrounding area. These developments should always enhance, rather than impede pedestrian circulation in the area, and should be marked by the quality of the architecture. Where a backland development involves the replacement of an undistinguished rear elevation to a listed Regent Street building, the replacement elevation should have a solidity that gives appropriate visual support to any original roof structures that remain visible, and maintains a distinction between the original building and any modern additions that are constructed in a contemporary style. Backland sites do not provide opportunities for tall buildings. The carefully designed vistas along Regent Street from Carlton House Terrace to All Souls Church could only be diminished by the appearance of tall buildings above the roofscapes. SUSTAINABILITY If everyone on the planet consumed as many resources as the average person in the UK we would need three planets to support us. The Crown Estate supports initiatives to reduce the consumption of resources in the development and use of its buildings and estates. The Regent Street architecture policy therefore places a priority on building and public realm designs that:
New construction projects absorb large quantities of material and energy, and the most effective way to counter this is by designing buildings that will have a long life through their flexibility and adaptability in use, and through the choice of durable materials and sound construction techniques. This indicates building designs where
PROCUREMENT Critical to the success of the policy are the procedures for selection and appointment of architects and allied professionals. The Crown Estate believes in selecting high quality, experienced teams for important projects, and not simply allocating projects on a lowest tendered price basis. There are 'horses for courses' and it is unproductive to commission architects to work to a brief for which they are unsuited by reason of past experience, skill, resources or artistic inclination. Careful procurement procedures should therefore take account of the individual or unusual requirements of a particular brief and thoroughly investigate the background and technical capacity of short-listed practices. This is of critical importance for major projects. Short listed practices should be asked to provide evidence of previous work in a similar context, and to discuss at interview the rationale behind their schemes. They must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the occupational requirements of office and retail tenants in terms of accommodation and technical services. They should also be required to illustrate and discuss at interview their initial thoughts about the proposed development along with the level of service, fees, and contractual arrangements, and resourcing of the design work. For key projects, appointments should follow visits to recent schemes and references from previous clients and (where possible) building occupants. Strong design management systems, commercial awareness, relevant experience and adequate resources will be the critical factors in selecting architects, but they do not guarantee high quality architecture. Flair and imagination are the only attributes that will do that!
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