Howard de Walden Estate HQ
“23 Queen Anne Street really demonstrates the marriage of heritage preservation with modern design and sustainable initiatives” – Mark Kildea, CEO, The Howard de Walden Estate
The building has been The Howard de Walden Estate’s headquarters in various guises since the late 1800s. In 1882 it became the office for what was then the Portland Estate, before becoming the Howard de Walden Estate in 1901. Following the refurbishment, the site will accommodate around 120 employees.
The renovation has brought fresh energy to the building, allowing for open-plan working, with new staff break-out areas, collaborative working zones, and two planted roof terraces, as well as enhanced cycle storage, which will help promote a healthier commute to and from the office.
The project had a dedicated environmental focus from the outset, aiming to create an all-electric, BREEAM-certified office, drawing upon biophilic design, wellness, and collaboration.
The office features solar power and air source heat pumps, newly planted trees and native, nectar-rich flowers, fed by a rainwater harvesting system. There will also soon be on-site beehives, bird and insect boxes to bolster Marylebone’s wildlife and biodiversity.
For the furniture, Vitra and Herman Miller pieces were remanufactured with bespoke finishes to suit the design, combined with refurbished furniture from the previous office. 90% of the furniture is second life, saving an estimated 31,000 kgCO2e of carbon emissions and ensuring that 10 tonnes of used furniture did not go to landfill.
Mark Kildea, Chief Executive Officer at Howard de Walden commented:
“We are delighted to be returning to our historic home following a two-year hiatus and are really excited by what this refurbishment has achieved. The site has been part of our history since the 1880s so a huge amount of care and time has gone into creating something that will last. 23 Queen Anne Street really demonstrates the marriage of heritage preservation with modern design and sustainable initiatives, which is something we aim for in many of the buildings across the estate.”
For more information on the Howard de Walden Estate visit https://www.hdwe.co.uk/about-us/the-estate and for more about Rype https://www.rypeoffice.com
