The Stage: Commercial

Delivering commercial viability on a complex historical site

Project Overview

The Stage is a landmark 540,000 sq ft, £750m mixed-use development designed around a world-class heritage centre on the site of Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre in Shoreditch, London.

The development consists of two office buildings, a new 37 storey residential tower, new theatre and museum, a two storey commercial unit, and the refurbishment of existing railway arches to commercial units with steel frame cafe structure on top and a 3 storey basement.

We were employed to take the design from Stage 3 to completion, building upon the original scheme and delivering significant improvements to both the layout and structural efficiency across the development.

Key features of the office development

This development is on a protected historical site features, and the two office buildings bookend the three retained historic buildings and face a conservation area on the opposite side of Curtain Road.

The Hewett is 70,000 sq ft over 8-storeys, and The Bard provides 110,000 sq ft of office space over 12-storeys, along with a new basement (3 storeys over approximately half of the site footprint) to accommodate commercial floor space, plant, car and motorbike parking and cycle storage.

Challenges overcome

This project presented challenges to programme and viability due to the historical significance of the site and the evolving needs of the commercial space.

Preserving Historical Heritage:

The discovery of the theatre remains posed a significant challenge.

Initial assessments indicated a circular shape, but excavation revealed a square layout extending beneath one of the planned commercial buildings.

Threatening the development’s viability by potentially reducing the footprint, we designed a solution to place two plunged column piles in less sensitive areas of the remains, allowing the building footprint to remain intact.

A bespoke construction methodology was developed and approved by Historic England, ensuring minimal impact throughout the construction process.

This was the first instance of piles being installed within the boundaries of a national monument, and enabled the project to proceed on schedule without compromising heritage.

Structural Redesign for Commercial Needs:

Both buildings were originally designed as steel frames yet as the project evolved, changing tenant requirements necessitated significant redesigns of both office buildings.

The Hewett: The design was adapted to incorporate post-tensioned (PT) concrete slabs, ensuring the required dynamic performance for a potential gym tenant.

The Bard: A bespoke solution using fabricated beams was engineered to minimise steel tonnage while providing large open spans and sufficient headroom, reducing steel tonnage by approximately 20% and resulting in cost savings and a more efficient construction process.

How we added value to the project

• Innovative engineering solutions allowed the project to succeed on a historically protected site.
• Close coordination with Historic England.
• Timely design adjustments led to the successful completion of two landmark office buildings, meeting both heritage and commercial goals.

Ongoing involvement with the office development

We are designing a mezzanine level for The Bard, and a variety of cut and carve works in both buildings, and carrying out fit-out works to accommodate the specific functional and aesthetic needs of a prestigious client.

All MEP services are integrated within the new layout, maintaining operational efficiency and compliance with safety standards.