Creating an Oxford Street store for fashion brand Zara entailed refurbishing and extending a grade II-listed Modernist building within the Westminster Conservation Area. Its design had to meet the needs of contemporary retail while protecting the characterful architecture by Ronald Ward and Partners. The prominent L-shaped corner block features neat strip windows and pale masonry in its curved facade, along with three relief plaques celebrating the Festival of Britain.
Client: Scottish Widows
Dates: 2012—2014
Architect:
John McAslan + Partners
Consultants
Whitby & Bird
Hanover Cube
Hilson Moran Partnership
Northcroft
SAFE / Moseley & Webb
General Contractor:
Sir Robert McAlpine
The new building wraps around the 1951 corner block, and draws inspiration from Ward’s original design, reinterpreting key details and proportions in a contemporary idiom while clearly distinguishing old from new. Particular attention was given to resolving the complex sectional relationship between the two structures, with floor levels carefully aligned to mediate differences between the historic and new fabric.
Delivered on a constrained and highly visible urban site, the project required careful construction phasing to maintain access and minimise disruption. The completed store achieves a sensitive balance between conservation and renewal, enhancing the architectural coherence of the site while providing a flexible and high-quality retail environment in one of London’s most prominent commercial districts.
