The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has appointed McLaren Construction to deliver a £100 million retrofit and extension of its 1950s building at 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, creating a new home for the Firoz Lalji Global Hub.
Designed by David Chipperfield Architects, the scheme is set to become the UK’s largest Passivhaus retrofit and an exemplar of circular economy principles. Approximately 60% of the existing structure will be retained, with the top three floors and roof plant enclosure replaced by a lightweight cross-laminated timber extension. The redevelopment will expand the building’s total area from 9,856 to 11,848 square metres.
A major transformation will see the removal of an internal infill structure, creating a spacious atrium and improving circulation. A new ground floor and partial first floor slab will deliver level access into the building, while the remodelled layout will accommodate not only the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa but also the Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics, Executive Education, and the Data Science Institute.
Facilities will include lecture halls, seminar rooms, offices, a dining area, a ground floor café, and the 270-seat LSE Agora theatre, designed for debates and broadcasts. Cycle storage, changing facilities, and mechanical plant will be located at basement level, with green and blue roofs, photovoltaic panels, and new mechanical systems installed on the roof.
Targeting BREEAM Outstanding, Passivhaus certification, and WELL Platinum, the building will exceed London’s ambitious targets for carbon, energy, water use, and biodiversity. Sustainability consultant Buro Happold is working with McLaren to reduce embodied carbon by rethinking material choices, eliminating unnecessary components, and sourcing low-carbon alternatives. Salvaged materials, including parquet flooring, brass inlays, lighting fixtures, ceramic tiles, and reclaimed brickwork, will be reused.
The project also sources materials from other nearby construction sites to support the circular economy. The adaptable and deconstructable design will help extend the building’s lifespan while minimising its environmental impact.
Externally, the eight-storey brick structure will be refreshed with a lime-based, off-white wash, preserving the texture of the original masonry while complementing its setting in the Strand Conservation Area. Positioned between the Grade II* listed Royal College of Surgeons and the Grade II listed former Land Registry building, the scheme is designed to enhance the historic streetscape surrounding Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Julian Robinson, director of estates at LSE, described the project as a major milestone in the university’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and academic excellence. McLaren’s London and South managing director Darren Gill added that the work demonstrates how advanced retrofit methods can revitalise older buildings into world-class spaces while sharply reducing both embodied and operational carbon.
Supported by a £28 million donation from Ugandan Asian businessman Firoz Lalji, the development is scheduled for completion in 2027 and is set to stand as a model for sustainable design in higher education.
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