EPR Architects

With total architecture fees up by 11 per cent, 2017 was another good year for EPR, which benefited from a broad spread of projects across its three key sectors of hotels, offices and residential. Architect numbers rose by 16 across its UK and Poland offices.

Hotel work was a particular highlight, with the opening of the Ned, the Grade I-listed Edwin Lutyens-designed former Midland Bank headquarters on Poultry in the City of London that has been repurposed into a luxury hotel with extensive bar and restaurant space. EPR managing director Chris Castle is particularly proud of the project’s placemaking role: it has brought new life to a previously quiet part of the City during weekends. Further hotel projects include the recently completed Hotel Russell in Bloomsbury and the ongoing Old War Office in Whitehall, which is being converted into a hotel and apartments.

EPR has not experienced the slowdown in the London residential development market that has affected some practices. ‘We’re incredibly busy with new resi enquiries. Well-positioned, well-designed residential at the right point in the market – not super-prime but good, solid mid-market – is selling,’ says Castle. PRS and affordable housing are also still going well, he adds.

The practice is working on a number of major London office projects, including 60 London Wall, a 44,000m2 reinvention of a Postmodern office building that received planning consent in 2017 and is now on site. Completed regional work last year included the £20 million office refurbishment of the Lewis Building in Birmingham, which was originally a landmark department store.

Looking ahead, the practice has plenty of confirmed work but no particular ambitions to get much bigger. Instead, it is concentrating on the quality of its work and clients.

‘We’re trying to focus on the best buildings we can for the best people,’ says Castle.