The London Borough of Tower Hamlets was operating a number of offices across the borough and wanted to consolidate their range of public services in a new civic building.
The borough approached us in 2014 to develop a feasibility study which would transform the Grade II listed Royal London Hospital building in Whitechapel into a new landmark Town Hall.
Our starting point was to revive this local heritage building to offer an inclusive and accessible civic landmark, where the wheels of democracy were clearly visible.
The refurbished hospital building provided the face of Tower Hamlets, with a restored 18th century façade leading to a welcoming reception, café and ideas store as well as meeting and public engagement spaces.
Behind the restored hospital, a new contemporary extension – connected to the listed building by a glazed atrium – continued the democratic focus with a new council chamber and meeting rooms at ground level.
On the upper floors, open plan office space was designed to house multiple council departments working towards the benefit of the wider borough and its community.
Following our feasibility study, architects AHMM were appointed to design and deliver the Town Hall in 2015 with Ian Chalk Architects acting as Design Guardians working alongside the council’s team.
Completed in 2023, the finished building went on to win multiple awards – including the Civic Trust and British Council for Offices - for its successful transformation as a landmark civic building which celebrated the borough’s heritage.
"The scheme boldly reinvents the dilapidated and derelict Grade II listed former hospital buildings, satisfying the brief by overlaying it on the existing spaces and adding a substantial new extension. The approach is at once sensitive and brave, creating a modern, civic home for council administration, local services and democracy, including a flexible council chamber and office space for the council’s 2,400 staff. The inclusive access strategy cleverly resolves challenges in relation to both the public realm and the interior circulation."
RIBA Jury citation