Winner of the Sustainability Award

81 Whitfield Street is a commercial project nestled between the new 80 Charlotte Street development and the retained facade of 67-69 Whitfield Street in London’s Fitzrovia.

Sustainability and reuse are central to the scheme, which was designed by Make Architects. Rated BREEAM Excellent, the building retains much of its existing structure and fabric, with significant upgrades made to the fenestration to further improve environmental performance.

Planning requirements necessitated that the new windows match the existing steel units. Janisol Arte profiles from Schüco Jansen were chosen for their slim 40mm sightlines and ability to achieve U-values of just 1.4W/m²K. Matching powder-coated internal and external reveal panelling has been harmoniously integrated with the window units. Each panel was individually measured and meticulously manufactured to align with the 100-year-old brickwork.

Among the benefits of the Schüco Jansen Steel range is that the profiles are highly versatile and can be mixed and matched to suit different applications, explains specialist contractor Propak Architectural Glazing. The company used thermally broken Janisol door and window profiles to create ground-floor entrances and screens that match perfectly with the upper-floor elements.

The jury praised the project team for its “reuse” approach to sustainability. It felt the improvements to the building envelope, including the replacement windows, had greatly benefited thermal performance and occupant comfort while also minimising environmental impact.