John McRae, Director of Orms, and project architect Simon Whittaker will lead AA Members on a tour of their recently completed project in King’s Cross, which saw the conversion of the brutalist former offices of Camden Council into a boutique hotel.

As lead consultant, Orms was responsible for the exterior architecture / shell and core, and worked alongside interior designer Shawn Hausman Design and interior architect Archer Humphryes.

Orms began the conversion from offices to a contemporary boutique hotel by retaining and cleaning the original brutalist concrete frame. The façade’s existing precast concrete panels formed an integral part of the building’s structure and so could not be removed or altered without significant structural remodelling. Adding three new-build storeys to the existing structure was a key component of Orms’ brief, and to accommodate the additional weight of the three new floors, Orms collaborated with Structural engineers Heyne Tillett Steel to add new steel columns to the existing structure. These were threaded like needles down through the existing waffle slabs to the 1st floor transfer slab and concrete columns below.

Please meet at 5:20pm at the entrance to The Standard, 10 Argyle Street, London WC1H 8EG. The tour will last for approximately 1.5 hours.

Open to AA Members (including AA Students & Staff). Become a member. Book your place using the form below.

AA Students go for free – the booking fee will be refunded to students if they attend the event