Gilbert-Ash has confirmed its £40 million contract to deliver a major refurbishment and restoration of the Royal Institute of British Architects’ landmark headquarters at 66 Portland Place in Westminster.
The extensive programme will transform the Grade II* listed building, upgrading its environmental performance, accessibility and public spaces while protecting the architectural character of one of RIBA’s most important assets.
Construction and restoration work is now being undertaken by Gilbert-Ash, with completion scheduled for September 2027.
Built in the 1930s, 66 Portland Place requires significant modernisation to its fabric and building services. The project will see ageing services stripped out and replaced, alongside improvements to the external envelope designed to increase energy efficiency and address water ingress.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the programme, with the Portland Place redevelopment set to act as a pilot project for the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard. The approach will provide an important real-world test of how ambitious carbon and energy objectives can be incorporated into the sensitive refurbishment of a major listed building.
Accessibility will also be substantially improved throughout the headquarters. A new fully accessible entrance is planned on Weymouth Street, while the internal layout and public-facing areas will be remodelled to create a more welcoming and inclusive destination.
The café and RIBA shop will be given greater prominence, while new exhibition and events facilities will form part of RIBA’s wider House of Architecture programme.
The project brings together a specialist professional team with extensive experience across architecture, heritage, engineering and complex refurbishment.
Purcell is architect for the delivery phase, progressing the original concept developed by Benedetti Architects. Gardiner & Theobald is acting as project manager, with Jackson Coles as quantity surveyor. Eckersley O’Callaghan is structural engineer and Harley Haddow is responsible for building services engineering.
For Gilbert-Ash, the £40 million contract represents a high-profile addition to its portfolio of complex heritage and cultural projects.
More widely, the transformation of 66 Portland Place demonstrates the growing role that retrofit can play in extending the life of significant existing buildings. Rather than replacing an important piece of London’s architectural heritage, the programme aims to retain and restore it while introducing the services, environmental performance and accessibility expected of a modern public building.
When completed in September 2027, the renewed headquarters will provide RIBA with a more sustainable and accessible home while preserving the architectural significance of its historic Portland Place address.
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