66 Portland Place

The Brief

We are appointed to provide cost consultancy services on the £58.8m “once in a generation” major refurbishment of RIBA’s Grade II*-listed headquarters at 66 Portland Place. Original built in 1934, the building has undergone piecemeal upgrades over the decades but urgently required a full-scale renovation to secure its long term future as a revitalised and fully accessible “home” for its 44,000 members.

The design sees the restoration of the Jarvis Foyer, a 400-seat hospitality space; the creation of more display space for architectural models and drawings; a second dedicated exhibition space; and a reinstated members’ room in its original 1934 location. A separate entrance for the café from Weymouth Street and a generously sized entrance to the library, matching original features inside the George Grey Wornum-designed building, will be added.

A major milestone was reached in 2025, when the project achieved full planning consent. Works on-site are due to commence later this year.

Client

Royal Institute of British Architects

Location

London W1

Architect

Purcell & Benedetti

Size

70,000 ft²

Sector

Services

Other Projects We’ve Completed Include

Bath Place

15 Mansfield Street

The Gilbert & One Lackington