Improving the townscape

The area surrounding One Chapel Place is undergoing redevelopment and densification. Ensuring that our proposals sit appropriately within the changing context (including the significant neighbouring House of Fraser and Debenhams redevelopments) is an important consideration.

To make sure that our proposals are respectful of both the local townscape and immediate heritage context, we have evaluated several height and massing approaches from 20 viewpoints to understand the impact of a new building on the One Chapel Place site.

The existing buildings and St Peter’s Church are already low compared to the surrounding context of House of Fraser and Debenhams. The increased height of the House of Fraser and Debenhams redevelopments will create a greater sense of enclosure to the Church.

Emerging Option 1: 16 storeys (G+14+Terrace)

This first option explored creating a façade with vertical proportions derived from the Golden Section theoretical system. However, the resulting 16 storey building is incongruous and visually too strong at the end of the Wimpole Street axial view.

Emerging Option 2: 13 storeys (G+11+Terrace)

The second option considered reducing the height of the new building to one floor higher than its neighbours. It was felt that this 13 storey building was still visually slightly too strong at the end of the Wimpole Street viewpoint although the relationship with neighbouring buildings was improved.

Emerging Option 3: 12 storeys (G+10+Terrrace)

The third option was for the new building to be at an equivalent height to the top of its neighbours. At 12 storeys the proposed mass begins to relate better to it’s neighbours and is visually appropriate at the end of the Wimpole Street axial view.

11 storeys (G+9+Terrace)

The fourth and preferred option has the top of the new building lower than the top of it’s neighbours. At 11 storeys the proposed mass connects well to the upper shoulder heights of its neighbours whilst retaining a good vertical proportion. It is visually appropriate at the end of the Wimpole Street viewpoint and provides a backdrop to St Peter’s Church at a height that allows the original architecture design by James Gibbs to be better revealed and appreciated.