The Broadway, a new, mixed-use project in west London by architecture practice Squire & Partners, has transformed a corner of Westminster. The large-scale scheme reimagined the 1960s Metropolitan Police Headquarters that previously occupied the site, opening up the block to passers-by by carving out a complex of six volumes linked by podiums and a new public space – Orchard Place. The development, for real estate expert Northacre, replaces parts of the urban fabric that were not fit for retrofitting, while framing views of the nearby Grade I-listed 55 Broadway.
The Broadway by Squire & Partners
Indeed, the presence of 55 Broadway, designed in 1929 by Charles Holden, provided some of the inspiration for the new design's geometric looks. The older building's art deco style was mixed with contemporary references and Squire & Partners' own take on minimalist architecture, to create 'a family of three design languages used to pair buildings on the west and east of the site to create a connection between the podiums', explain the team.
'The Broadway is a vibrant residential-led mixed-use scheme, which contributes to the delivery of Westminster City Council’s vision for the regeneration of Victoria. On the ground floor, retail units and entrances to the office accommodation are accessible via Orchard Place – a new pedestrian street connecting St James’ Park Station to Victoria Street. Above the podium, six residential towers are clad in a dynamic geometric pattern of pre-cast concrete, inspired by the nearby art deco Grade I-listed station,' says Michael Squire, senior partner at the firm.
The complex contains some 268 apartments, three floors of offices, and a ground floor that blends retail and restaurant uses, next to the landscaped areas of Orchard Place. The residential element features apartment interiors by Squire & Partners, including bespoke designs in the kitchens and bathrooms. Meanwhile, amenities for residents range from a spa with swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, to treatment rooms, a gym, changing facilities, a games room, cycle storage and parking. Interiors firm Nainoa is behind The Broadway's communal and wellness areas.
'In 2014, we acquired the former Metropolitan Police Headquarters site, one of the biggest land deals in the capital. We moved on to achieve Section 106 planning permission in fewer than six months, which is a testament to the Northacre team for driving such a successful and well-received proposal. Completing the project on time is a momentous milestone and rounds off an exemplary construction programme,' says Northacre's director Fawad Tariq Khan.
'I am excited about the future of this location as we now work to deliver Orchard Place, the future wellness capital of London. With this destination, we seek to bring together the community alongside myriad uses to ensure a vibrant and exciting location with people at its heart. In the coming months, we look forward to revealing our anchor tenants that will play a big role in creating a destination London has not seen before.'
-
Yuko Mohri’s living installations play on Marcel Duchamp’s surrealismThe artist’s seven new works on show at Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca explore the real and imaginary connections that run through society
-
An Arizona home allows multigenerational living with this unexpected materialIn a new Arizona home, architect Benjamin Hall exposes the inner beauty of the humble concrete block while taking advantage of changed zoning regulations to create a fit-for-purpose family dwelling
-
The Gee’s Bend quilters want you to visit themFor generations, the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama have created intricate quilts. Can tourism help preserve their traditions?
-
You may know it as ‘Dirty House’ – now, The Rogue Room brings 21st-century wellness to ShoreditchThe Rogue Room – set in the building formerly known as Dirty House by Sir David Adjaye, now reinvented by Studioshaw – bridges wellness and culture in London's Shoreditch
-
The architectural innovation hidden in plain sight at Frieze London 2025The 2025 Frieze entrance pavilions launch this week alongside the art fair, showcasing a brand-new, modular building system set to shake up the architecture of large-scale events
-
RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 winner is ‘a radical reimagining of later living’Appleby Blue Almshouse wins the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025, crowning the social housing complex for over-65s by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, the best building of the year
-
‘Belonging’ – the LFA 2026 theme is revealed, exploring how places can become personalThe idea of belonging and what it means in today’s world will be central at the London Festival of Architecture’s explorations, as the event’s 2026 theme has been announced today
-
Join us on a first look inside Regent’s View, the revamped canalside gasholder project in LondonRegent's View, the RSHP-designed development for St William, situated on a former gasholder site on a canal in east London, has just completed its first phase
-
The Royal College of Art has announced plans for renewal of its Kensington campusThe Royal College of Art project, led by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, includes the revitalisation of the Darwin Building and more, in the hopes of establishing an open and future-facing place of creativity
-
Ursula K Le Guin’s maps of imaginary worlds are charted in a new exhibitionUrsula K Le Guin, the late American author, best known for her science fiction novels, is celebrated in a new exhibition at the Architectural Association in London, charting her whimsical maps, which bring her fantasy worlds alive
-
Power Hall’s glow-up shines light on science and innovation in ManchesterPower Hall at The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester was given a spruce-up by Carmody Groarke, showcasing the past and future of machines, engineering and sustainable architecture
