McLaren Construction has secured a £100m ($135.7m) contract to retrofit and extend one of the existing buildings of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK.
The project aims to transform the current 1950s structure at 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields into a new home for the Firoz Lalji Global Hub.
The facility, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, is poised to become the UK’s largest Passivhaus retrofit.
The renovation will retain approximately 60% of the original building while adding a new lightweight cross-laminated timber extension. This will increase the building’s size from 9,856m² to 11,848m².
The redesign includes the removal of the top three floors and roof plant enclosure, as well as an infill structure at the building’s core to create a spacious atrium and improve accessibility.
The renovated space will house educational facilities, including the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Statistics, Executive Education, and the Data Science Institute.
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By GlobalDataIt will feature teaching areas, breakout zones, offices, a dining area, an external terrace, and a ground-floor café.
A highlight of the development is the LSE Agora, a 270-seat multi-purpose area designed for debates and broadcasts.
Additionally, the basement will offer cycle parking, changing rooms, showers, and locker facilities while the roof will feature new green and blue roofs and photovoltaic panels.
Sustainability is at the forefront of this project, with the new building aiming for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method Outstanding, Passivhaus certification, and WELL Platinum. It also seeks to exceed London’s targets for embodied and operational carbon, energy and water use, and biodiversity.
McLaren Construction, in partnership with carbon consultant Buro Happold, has developed strategies to reduce the project’s embodied carbon footprint through material reevaluation, component omission, and the integration of low-carbon alternatives.
The design prioritises adaptability and deconstructability to support the circular economy and minimise carbon emissions throughout the building’s life cycle.
The new building is expected to be completed in 2027.
Last month, McLaren Construction was chosen as the main contractor for the £90m refurbishment of Brettenham House, an art deco landmark in London.
