A new lease of life for a much loved Leeds landmark

Majestic

Leeds, UK

This project saw the conversion of an historic city centre landmark into a vibrant new office building, to accommodate the new national headquarters for Channel 4, along with a leading national law firm.

Originally built as a single-screen cinema and ballroom, the glorious Grade II listed Majestic building was badly damaged by fire in 2014. Buro Happold was appointed specifically for our expertise in the management of risk on complex restoration and renovation projects such as this.

Our engineers worked closely with the client, architect and wider project team to meet ambitions and aspirations for the building, which occupies a pivotal location at the heart of Leeds City Centre. We were able to develop sensitive interventions that retained the original facade and key historic features, preserving Majestic’s heritage and connection to the city while also realising flexible Grade A commercial office space across all seven floors.

Challenge

Working with a listed building always requires a careful balance between restoring existing features and making the necessary and often significant structural changes. In the case of Majestic, however, this was even more challenging due to its fragile state post-fire. As a result, the facade retention and structural strategy were complex and intertwined.

The extensive demolition required within the constrained site presented a real and enhanced risk during construction. As well as addressing these structural issues, the team had to find ways to preserve and reflect the history of this remarkable building, while completing an ambitious environmental upgrade. This required developing designs within Grade II limitations that would meet planning approval but also deliver exemplary working conditions.

As this was a speculative development, we also had to create a structure capable of supporting a flexible internal layout, so that a variety of occupiers could adapt the building according to their requirements.

Solution

The foundation scheme was carefully devised, with our demonstration that a combination of piling/pad foundations would be the most effective solution, requiring stringent sequencing requirements to further reduce risk. Buro Happold also undertook inspections of the adjacent properties during construction and supported the contractor in neighbour discussions.

Our structural approach allowed the listed facade to be fully retained, while providing modern spaces behind to ensure a sustainable future for the building. We oversaw the extensive repair work required to reinstate and revitalise the listed masonry facade, while creating a new-build structural frame that slots perfectly into it. Where interventions were required, we developed solutions that were architecturally sensitive to minimise impact.

To realise flexible office accommodation, the new structure maximises clear floor areas within the building. Floor plates are designed to accommodate future adaptability, featuring flexible loading allowances and two large knock-out panels to the ground floor, to allow the spaces to be linked together.

Working with our client throughout the decision-making process, setting clear targets from the outset and continually reviewing performance, were all contributory factors to the success of the environmental scheme. We adopted a holistic approach, focusing our interventions on areas less constrained by heritage matters and working the new elements of the construction as hard as possible.

Replacing the deep plan floor plates with shallow floor plates ensured all spaces have views to the outside. In addition, the renovated palm court draws daylight through the heart of the building, creating a working environment in tune with the body’s circadian rhythm and boosting wellbeing. Air quality is also exemplary, with 100% fresh air supplied with filtration to ensure best practice.

Other noteworthy innovations include the use of demand-controlled ventilation and electric air source heat pumps, which deliver zoned heating and cooling for controllable user comfort. On each floor, volume control devices allow ventilation to be isolated when occupancy levels are low and there is less demand for fresh air.

Value

Working closely with the project team, we helped transform a damaged landmark into a flagship development in a prime location. Retaining the listed facade and iconic internal features preserved the character of the building and gives occupants a sense of connection with the history and culture of the city itself.

Majestic now delivers comparable levels of energy efficiency and occupant comfort to best practice new build construction. Our work was pivotal to the project receiving a BREEAM Very Good and an EPC A rating. This is an outstanding achievement within the constraints of a historic listed building.

Across this project, our early consideration of risks and comprehensive assessment of the available solutions led to significant efficiencies for the scheme. They also delivered highly efficient and attractive working spaces in the heart of Leeds. As a result, Channel 4 have decided to make Majestic their new national headquarters alongside a leading national legal services firm.