The Practice was responsible for designing the complete refurbishment of the mechanical, electrical and public health services to all of the guest rooms, together with the penthouse units. The project also included the provision of services to new conference rooms and a fully integrated health suite. As an integral part of the refurbishment the major central plant items comprising transformers, switchgear, chilled water plant, heating plant, cold water storage and hot water generating plant were replaced. The technical challenges were extenisve as the hotel remained in operation throughout the works.
The refurbishment provides office space, along with the ground floor being granted A1 retail use. High-level exposed services were designed to give an industrial warehouse feel. The offices are heated and cooled by independent variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air source heat pump systems and illuminated by suspended linear LED fittings.
The project also involved the refurbishment of the reception space and improvement of the cycle store entrance and wayfinding at basement level.
The building is provided with natural ventilation and LTHW heating to the showroom and office areas, plus the toilets which also receive hot water from the same boiler installation.
A wealth of experience in exposed services projects has enabled Watkins Payne to provide the highest level specification for the refurbishment of over 50,000ft² of office space at 101 New Cavendish Street in London.
The building services use a 4-pipe fan coil unit arrangement with various ventilation systems to suit the different use areas. Full building power back-up standby generation, UPS, security and access control and automatic blinds all formed part of the fit-out.