1 Lyric Square, London

Designed by Richard Seifert in the early 1970s, the tower in Hammersmith, with its low floor-to-ceiling heights, high-level plant and serial refurbishments, was a challenging candidate for repurposing. We decentralised the plant, replacing it with an airy penthouse floor and – at podium level – with a green terrace. Stripping back later finishes to increase the volume, we uncovered original travertine walls and a sculptural cantilevered stair. Pre-let to The Office Group, the building achieved record rents for Hammersmith, outperforming nearby new-builds.