Frederick’s Place Masterplan, London EC2
A masterplan sensitively restoring a historically significant estate to create characterful mixed-use offices in the City
Masterplan
JRA was commissioned by the Mercers’ Company to prepare a masterplan for their Home Estate at Frederick’s Place in the City of London. Frederick’s Place is a close off Old Jewry, with domestic style Georgian buildings on both sides. The Estate comprises some of the oldest buildings in the City and is located in the Guildhall Conservation area. The project involved working with Mercers’ Property Committee to prepare strategic proposals for the long term use of the buildings around the Livery Hall, some of which were designed by Robert and John Adam in the 1770s and have been in the Mercers’ ownership for hundreds of years.
JRA consulted extensively with authorities and stakeholders during the evolution of the designs, including the City of London Corporation, English Heritage and members of the Mercers’ Company. JRA secured planning consent for the site-wide interventions and certificates of immunity from listed status for a number of areas, allowing alterations to take place.
JRA was then commissioned to refurbish six of the buildings over two phases: firstly, numbers 7 & 8 Frederick’s Place and 35 Old Jewry, spanning 850m2 and then numbers 1, 2 & 3 Frederick’s Place comprising 1,900m2 of contemporary workspace within the grade II listed buildings. JRA also upgraded the public realm and created retail and restaurant spaces to complete the newly pedestrianised close. The project utilised the studio’s strength in artfully unifying a mixture of architectural styles and ages.


Rich Histories
Frederick’s Place dates back to the Georgian Era and is a rare example of the period’s speculative building in the City. Many of the buildings were built in the the 1770s and the most notable are those designed by the Adam brothers, who were leading architects of the period, renowned for their neoclassical interiors and distinctive use of curves, ornate motifs, and pastel colours.
Each of the six buildings in the masterplan has a rich history. No. 1 is the newest, dating to 1958 and built to replace the 1777 Adams’ house destroyed by an incendiary bomb during WW2. No. 2 and 3 are Grade II listed. No. 2’s 18th century façade remains intact with a 1916 building behind that is more open plan than its predecessor, and no. 3 was replaced the same year due to fire, rebuilt in neo-Georgian style to replicate the original.
Nos. 7 & 8 and 35 Old Jewry are grade II listed buildings by the Adam brothers. Each building was significantly altered in the 19th and 20th centuries and a mansard roof has been added over the buildings. A number of original features, including fireplaces and ornate ceilings remain.


Unity
JRA upgraded the public realm surrounding the six buildings, beginning with attractive paving throughout the close to take advantage of the pedestrianisation of the site and improve accessibility. The team retained the traditional street lamps and introduced retail and restaurant space at the base of the buildings and cycle storage in the vaults beneath. Passageways between some of the buildings further unify the site.



Phase One: 7 & 8 Frederick’s Place and 35 Old Jewry
JRA undertook the sensitive refurbishment and restoration of 7 & 8 Frederick’s Place and 35 Old Jewry, bringing the three Grade II listed buildings, originally designed by the Adam brothers in the 1770s, back into commercial use.
7, 8 and 35 were leased within a month of launch, demonstrating that there is strong demand for this type of unique workplace, which is proving to be very popular with modern City occupiers.
Old Meets New
Important fragments of Robert Adam’s designs from the 1770s have been restored, including the Venetian window in 8 Frederick’s Place, fireplaces with late 18th century foliated mouldings, and ceilings and cornices in the first floor Adam rooms.
Details related to the Mercers were also preserved, including the Mercers' Maiden adorning the door of 1 Frederick's Place. The maiden symbol first appeared on a seal in 1425 and was adopted by the company as a secularised motif of the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven. It now appears on many buildings across London.
Restoring the old parts of the building and blending historic fabric with modern interventions provides a rich and characterful design. JRA’s new additions include the sleek reception, contemporary lighting and the attractive new roof terrace on the south side of the building at first floor level.
Interconnection
Our designs have interconnected the three buildings by opening up the walls between them and interlinking each with internal stairs. The team made a feature of the changes in level across the spaces, allowing them to create a series of distinct areas unified by the exposed brickwork to offer a quirky archaeology of the historic site. JRA also incorporated a new office entrance to no. 8.



Phase Two: 1, 2 & 3 Frederick’s Place
The project interconnects Numbers 1, 2 and 3 Frederick’s Place to provide contemporary workplace within the Grade II listed buildings, together with a new restaurant at ground floor level, a centralised cycle store and a new outdoor terrace.




Clever Interventions
JRA removed suspended ceilings, floors and kitchenettes at nos. 1-3, creating a new office entrance and reception area via no. 3. We also reinstated the entrance to no. 2, with a new bridge link spanning a lightwell. Showers and lockers are provided at sub-basement level, while new, extended double-glazed windows maximise the provision of daylight into the office. Roof terraces on the first, fourth and fifth floors have been improved.



Outside Inside
A new roof terrace has been created at first floor level as an amenity for tenants with views towards the Grade I listed St Olave’s Church, Old Jewry by Sir Christopher Wren. The terrace features biodiverse planting and seating, surrounded by ornate balustrades.
