Grade II-listed modernist block to become luxury retail store
Westminster council has approved plans by Barr Gazetas to refurbish a grade II-listed modernist building in Mayfair designed by Peter Moro.
The seven-storey 41 Albemarle Street was completed in 1963 as the flagship store of furniture brand Hille but has stood empty since 2020.
The corner site, a prominent modernist development in an area mostly characterised by 19th century buildings, will become a luxury retail store with office space on its upper storeys under plans designed for developer Korol.
Barr Gazetas said the scheme will take a retrofit-first approach, celebrating the building’s mid-century character while addressing longstanding thermal performance issues.
New additions will include a new arrival space, a boardroom, a lounge, end-of-trip amenities and a landscape roof terrace with interiors drawing on Moro’s original design principles with warm natural materials and refined detailing.
German-born Moro moved to London in 1936 where he initially worked with modernist pioneer Berthold Lubetkin before joining the design team for the now-grade I-listed Royal Festival Hall.
He founded his own practice, Peter Moro and Partners in 1952, and made his name designing public buildings across the UK including Nottingham Playhouse in 1963 and the Theatre Royal in Plymouth in 1982.
Barr Gazetas director Tom Lacey said: “41 Albermarle Street is a building with a remarkable design heritage and is a rare example of listed post WWII architecture.
“Our ambition has been to restore Peter Moro’s original vision while creating a building fit for the future. Retaining the elegance of the original metal-and-glass façade while enhancing its environmental performance has been a key challenge, and we’re excited to see this sensitive transformation move forward.”
Construction is expected to start next month with completion pencilled in for September 2027.
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