Strandbrook Limited, Eighty Strand

Project Summary

Shell Mex House, also known as Eighty Strand, is a Grade II listed building on the Strand in London, within the Savoy conservation area. This iconic Art Deco building was designed by Frances Milton Cashmore of the architectural firm Messrs. Joseph and erected in 1930-31. It stands on the site of the former grand Hotel Cecil, preceded by Cecil House.

Our client wished to upgrade the building to suit contemporary working practices and lifestyles. MGAC played a crucial role in upgrading facilities, developing beautiful new features which complement the building’s exterior and maintain its integrity.

MGAC's Role

MGAC provided cost management, project management and health + safety services to fit interiors and develop state-of-the-art communal facilities, including:

• A 152,000 ft² of Cat A fit-out including new toilet facilities on four floors, plus basement-level bicycle, shower and changing facilities;
• Major Landlord works to form a new, glazed entrance Pavilion and courtyard;
• Refurbishment of all lift lobbies, lifts, and circulation space;
• Internal extensions into existing lightwells, creating break-out spaces; and
• Construction of glazed corridors at roof level, allowing new access to rooftop gardens.

Challenges

The client’s principal commercial tenant occupied the property throughout the project, limiting our ability to investigate and de-risk the site. Stripping the walls revealed unforeseen obstacles which could have resulted in significant delays and penalties. However, MGAC’s team acted swiftly to identify solutions and balance costs, keeping project delivery on track.

Success Factors

This stunning refurbishment is the result of combined efforts of several members of the MGAC team alongside architects, service engineers, and contractors. We are especially proud of our team’s thorough processes. After careful planning, MGAC staff were able to respond with agility and grace as challenges arose.

We engaged the main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, early in development. Using a two-stage procurement approach, we successfully twin-tracked the development of second-stage tender documents, carrying out essential investigations, surveys and structural / services validations.

To assist the overall coordination of landlord and tenant needs, we set up and administered a separate logistics package. This allowed us to control materials delivery and distribution across three separate contracts, ensuring a smooth client journey.