Skanska has has started on site at the St Giles Circus scheme in central London which will provide two new live music venues within the Tin Pan Alley revival scheme.
The project is situated next to the new Crossrail exit at the crossroads of Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, New Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road.
In 2015, Camden council gave the go ahead for a new music venue and reinstatement of the original courtyard relationship between 22 Denmark Place and the rare 17th century house at 26 Denmark Street.
Designed by London-based architect Orms for Consolidated Developments, and in close consultation with Historic England, the GLA and Music Venues Trust, the approved 19,510 sq m scheme replaces the former 12 Bar Club (the Smithy) with a new 280 capacity grassroots music venue.
An interactive four-storey urban gallery space with fully retractable facade will provide flexible venues and innovative external exhibition spaces
The Smithy, one of the smallest live music venues in London, located at 22 Denmark Place, has already been carefully preserved and moved to allow for the new basement to take shape.
In line with conservation area guidelines, the Smithy will then be reinstated in exactly the same location. This is in addition to the 2,000 capacity music venue which has already been granted consent as part of the wider St Giles Circus scheme and will build on the quarter’s musical heritage.
The creation of an interactive four-storey urban gallery space with fully retractable facade will provide flexible venues and innovative external exhibition spaces, as well as a mix of office, residential, hotel, cultural, entertainment, bar and restaurant use.
The new venues are part of the Tin Pan Alley revival scheme
A new glass enclosure will provide shelter to the courtyard and vertical circulation to the basement venue. St Giles Circus is set to be unique, mixed-use venue and a destination for commerce, culture, creativity and inspiration, contributing to both the daytime and night-time economy.
John McRae, director of Orms, said: “St Giles builds on the area’s music heritage which has built up over the past 60 years by bringing back a major music venue that has been missing since the closure of the Astoria to accommodate Crossrail.
“We are delighted to have started onsite at St Giles – this is an extremely exciting scheme and will provide such a diverse range of uses to this significant central London location.”
Full completion of the scheme is scheduled for January 2020.
