Royal College of Pathologists

The Solution & Result

• Obtaining planning consent for this new, purpose-built 35,000 sq. ft. building
• Careful demolition between occupied buildings
• Exceptional design, featuring a library, auditorium, conference facilities and a base for the College’s staff
• An architectural vision based on exposed concrete and brick, making the most possible use of natural light
• A highly sustainable development, achieving BREEAM Excellent

Since its foundation in 1962, The Royal College of Pathologists was based at 2 Carlton House Terrace in St James’s. In 2011 CBRE was approached to help the College surrender its long leasehold on the property and invest the resulting capital in a new London headquarters.

Our Central London Development team worked closely with the College and the freeholder of the property, the Crown Estate, to agree terms for the sale of the lease. Negotiations concluded on the basis that meant the parties would split the proceeds arising from the building’s sale.

The terms allowed the College to remain in the building for a year after the sale. With a substantial capital sum secured, the College could begin the next chapter of its evolution.

Our Project Management team got to work turning the College’s long-term vision into a reality. A new HQ site was then secured at 6 Alie Street in Aldgate by our London Tenant Advisory team, and a new planning permission was secured for the project by our Planning team. We then managed the demolition of the existing building and the development of the Bennett Associates designed new purpose-built headquarters to meet the client’s brief. 

The result is an environmentally efficient, highly flexible, seven-storey BREEAM excellent building which reflects the grandeur of Carlton House Terrace but in a modern setting, providing space for work, meetings, conferences and events.

As completion of the project approached, our London Leasing team leased surplus office space in the new building. Separately, the Dilapidations team negotiated a settlement of the College’s swing space lease at Prescot Street.

Building and Workplace Awards

• Winner, 2021 RIBA London Award
• Winner, 2021 RIBA National Award
• Winner, 2019 New London Awards: Education  
• Winner, 2019 Architizer A+ Awards, Architecture + Learning
• Winner, 2019 The Concrete Society Awards
• Winner, 2019 Brick Awards: Education
• Shortlisted, Building Awards: Project of the Year
• Shortlisted, 2019 AJ Architecture Awards: Workplaces (up to 10,000sqm)
• Shortlisted 2019 Dezeen Awards: Business Building