Nuffield & Pegasus House

Nuffield House, gracefully lining Piccadilly, boasts a commanding presence with a three-bay side return extending toward Sackville Street on the east and a parallel facet facing west, connecting seamlessly to the entrance lane linking Piccadilly to Albany Courtyard. Its rear elevation, oriented northward, partially embraces Albany Courtyard.

In the neighboring landscape, Pegasus House confidently addresses Sackville Street, its rear elevation discreetly serving as the picturesque backdrop to the (former) stable blocks of Albany Courtyard, though not directly accessible from the public realm.

These architectural gems were born from the visionary mind of Architect George J. Skipper (1856-1948), serving as a testament to his conceptual brilliance. The realisation of both structures unfolded under the skilled guidance of the architectural firm, Yates, Cook, and Darbyshire.

Nuffield House, commissioned by Norwich Union in the 1920s, stands as a timeless embodiment of Skipper’s pre-World War II vision, materialised between 1937 and 1940.

Contrastingly, Pegasus House, completed around 1956, showcases a more simplified and austere form, deviating significantly from Skipper’s initial designs. Together, these architectural landmarks narrate a tale of evolution and adaptation, contributing to the rich tapestry of Piccadilly’s historical charm.

In July 2019, Westminster City Council Planning Committee voted in favour of granting planning permission for the redevelopment of Pegasus House (37-43 Sackville Street) and Nuffield House (41-46 Piccadilly). The redevelopment is a heritage-led design, retaining historic elements of the existing building and recognising the importance of the current buildings’ contribution to the local townscape, while also seeking to re-work the buildings to provide improved office, retail and residential accommodation.

The proposals will align the floorplates of the two buildings by retaining the historic façade of Nuffield House while redeveloping Pegasus House with sensitive architecture that better reflects Skipper’s original designs. This means the buildings will be better connected and able to provide the high-quality office accommodation expected in this part of Westminster.

The plans as consented to enhance the character and appearance of the Mayfair Conservation Area, the appearance of Nuffield House (Grade II) and the setting of several other listed buildings, including Melbourne House (Grade I), Albany Courtyard (Grade I) and Sackville House (Grade II).

Nuffield House’s front and side-facing façade will be retained to protect the Grade II listing, while Pegasus House will be redeveloped in full with a design tailored to better reflect the original masterplan.

On Sackville Street, this will include re-establishing the historic street line and introducing a new façade, with architectural detailing echoing that of the neighbouring buildings. The rear exterior of Pegasus House, facing Albany, by contrast, is more contemporary in appearance but has been carefully designed to respond to the sensitive historic setting compared to the existing façade.

Deconstruct secured the demolition and enabling works package. The site is made up of 2 buildings — Nuffield House south facing Piccadilly and Pegasus House east facing Sackville St, Nuffield House is a 7-story concrete and brick structure with a Grade II listed façade. Pegasus House is a 6-story concrete frame structure.

Our scope includes the retention of the three-sided Nuffield House front elevation, demolition of the structures to the rear of the façades and complete demolition of Pegasus House through to the existing basement level.

Included in the Grade II listing of the façade are the windows and roof slates of Nuffield House. We employed a specialist contractor to survey and carefully remove the Listed windows. These are catalogued and placed into crates for removal and storage. These items are to return to the site and reinstated as part of the new build.

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