Victoria House
Client: Oxford Properties and We are Pioneer Group
Architect: CW Architects
Main Contractor: Wates
Location: London
Komfort Systems:
The Project at Victoria House
Project Vision
The transformation of the Grade-II listed Victoria House is one of London’s most significant heritage conversions, reimagining 300,000 sq ft of neoclassical architecture into a state-of-the-art life sciences hub. Located in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter, the vision for Oxford Properties and Pioneer Group was to create a “Grade A” wet lab-enabled ecosystem that could accommodate everyone from start-ups to global pharmaceutical giants.
Working with CW Architects and Wates, the challenge was to integrate high-specification, modern laboratory infrastructure within a building defined by its Art Deco detail. Our system design needed to meet the technical specification, overall vision all whilst meeting the building’s “Excellent” BREEAM sustainability targets.
Komfort’s Solution
To maximise the usable floor space within this heritage conversion, Komfort’s Polar 54 double glazed system was specified. Chosen for its ultra-slimline profile, Polar 54 delivers an exceptional acoustic performance with 12.8mm and 12.8mm acoustic glass and allowed the architects to maintain wide, airy corridors and maximise laboratory benching space, ensuring that the “Grade A” wet lab environments remain functional and spacious despite the constraints of a historic building footprint.
To maintain the building’s industrial aesthetic, all framing and hardware were finished in Supranodic Bronze, complementing the building’s original brasswork and exposed services. We further enhanced this integration by designing bespoke wrap-around channels on-site to encase structural steel posts. This ensured that the structural elements mirrored the slimline glazing aesthetic rather than using bulky plasterboard. This was paired with Sonik rebated hospital door sets, featuring bespoke handles and electric strikes, providing a secure, high-traffic access solution that remains flush and visually consistent with the slimline partitions.
The End Result
The result is a striking interior that honours the scale and history of Victoria House while functioning as a world-class scientific facility.
It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside the teams at Wates and CW Architects to bring this vision to life, and we look forward to continuing our successful relationship on future projects.
