Mace has been appointed to redevelop London’s former City Hall, which has stood empty since 2021, in a £150m scheme that will reconfigure the landmark building into office and retail space.

The client, St Martins Property Investments (SMPL), acquired the wider More London development – which includes the distinctive riverside building – for a reported £1.7bn in 2013. Originally designed by Foster + Partners and completed in 2002, the structure was built by Mace under a construction management deal, with the late Queen officially opening it three years later.

City Hall was vacated at the end of 2021 when the Greater London Authority relocated to The Crystal in Newham, a move intended to cut costs. Since then, SMPL explored options for a light refurbishment but determined that more significant work was needed due to design flaws, water ingress, outdated floorplates, and sustainability challenges.

Under designs by Gensler, Mace will retain the building’s core but replace its complex glazed façade with a more energy-efficient system, while introducing planted terraces and reconfiguring the shape to create more usable internal space. The redevelopment will add around 3,800 square metres of floor space, including 452 square metres of new office accommodation and 3,300 square metres of retail.

Southwark Council approved the plans in December, with planning officers acknowledging the scheme would alter the character of the iconic riverside structure but improve both its usability and sustainability.

The project team includes Gensler as architect, LDA Design as landscape architect, Waterman as structural engineer, Ramboll as façade engineer, DP9 as planning consultant and Turley as heritage consultant.

Mace’s appointment continues its run of high-profile wins, following the £700m British Library redevelopment and the £200m Edge Liverpool Street project.

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