Parcels Building

  • Type

    Mixed use redevelopment of landmark building (retail and office space)

  • Size

    48,000 sq ft (4460 sq m)

  • Completion

    March 2023

  • Architects

    Grafton Architects

  • Project Manager

    Blackburn & Co

  • Quantity Surveyor

    Turner & Townsend / Alinea

  • Structural Engineer

    Elliott Wood

  • Sustainability Consultant

    Buro Happold

  • Awards

    Winner of the Refurb Project AJ Architecture Awards 2023

    Winner of the UK Sustainability Project of the Year, Society of Facade and Engineering Awards 2023

    Winner of the 2024 RIBA London Region Awards

    Overall Winner of the 2024 Schüco UK Limited Excellence Awards

    Shortlisted for the 2024 RIBA Reinvention Awards

We appointed Grafton Architects, RIBA Stirling Prize winners, to give our flagship building a complete regeneration for the 21st century.

Originally built in the 1950s and named after the historic Royal Mail post office tunnels above which it is located, the building is situated on the corner of Duke Street and Oxford Street and is one of the most iconic properties in its neighbourhood.

The project reflects our commitment to sustainable cities. We decided to retain as much of the fabric and character of the existing building as possible, and Grafton’s innovative design allowed for the full reuse of the existing structural frame, foundations and cores, as well as the retention of the rear façades.

We added an additional storey using cross laminated timber (CLT) and lightweight steel, which allowed us to extend the property without exceeding the load bearing capacity of the original frame. As well as minimising the embodied carbon of the project by retaining the original structure as far as possible, Grafton’s ingenuity has ensured the building’s operational carbon is lower than the RIBA and LETI 2030 targets.

We added an elegant new Portland Whitbed limestone skin, which helps ensure that the thermal performance of the property is twice that of a standard modern commercial building. The depth of the panels on the façade, external shading features and a solar coating on the glass all work together to minimise solar gains without compromising on natural light in the office spaces. The building is targeting a BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating and is on track to achieve Net Zero carbon.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything that we do, and we are proud to have worked with the best in the business to deliver a project with the following carbon credentials:

  • Retained 92.5% of the existing structure
  • All timber used to construct the building is FSC certified
  • 97% of materials removed from site were recycled
  • Supplied by 100% renewable electricity
  • Solar PV panels provide an on-site source of renewable energy

Related Press & Publications

Architects' Journal, Grafton completes workspace on Oxford Street (22nd May 2023)

Architects' Journal, AJ Architecture Awards 2023 - final set of shortlists revealed (25th August 2023)

Winner of the UK Sustainability Project of the Year, Society of Façade Engineering Awards 2023 (8th November 2023)

Winner of the Refurb Project of the Year, Architects' Journal Awards 2023 (22nd November 2023)

Winner of the 2024 RIBA London Region Awards, Building Design Online (15 February 2024) & The Parcels Building (architecture.com)

Shortlisted for the 2024 RIBA National Awards

Next Case Study DSP X Fora