The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has selected the architectural partnership of Feix&Merlin and Alison Brooks Architects to transform its historic 61 Aldwych building following a unanimous jury decision in favor of their groundbreaking biophilic design proposals. The winning team successfully competed against several prominent international architectural firms in this highly competitive contest.
The competition featured strong entries from notable practices including New York City-based Ennead partnered with 10 Design, California's Studios Architecture working with Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman, Beyond Space collaborating with Allies and Morrison, and Danish firm 3XN teamed with Toronto-based Adamson Associates Architects. All entries were submitted anonymously to ensure fair evaluation by the jury.
The selection process included a comprehensive public consultation this summer involving all five shortlisted proposals for overhauling the 1910s building located on the edge of LSE's Holborn campus. The transformed building will serve as a home for academic departments and research centers. According to sources, the Feix&Merlin and Alison Brooks scheme also won overwhelming support in the public vote, demonstrating broad appeal beyond the professional jury.
The winning design features several innovative elements that will dramatically transform the building's relationship with the surrounding urban environment. The architects have proposed creating a new front entrance to LSE on Aldwych, along with a distinctive projecting bay window designed to open up the university to street-level activity. The building will be reactivated at ground level on Kingsway and will include a new roof terrace exclusively for LSE students and staff.
Internally, the scheme aims to establish what the architects describe as a "world-class biophilic environment for learning and research." The centerpiece of this approach is a bold sculptural staircase that moves vertically through the building, surrounded by biophilic elements inspired by natural ravine formations. This design philosophy integrates natural elements and patterns throughout the interior spaces to enhance the learning and research experience.
Julian Robinson, LSE's director of estates, explained the university's decision-making process, emphasizing that they evaluated both the architectural teams and their proposed designs. "The dynamic between Feix&Merlin and Alison Brooks Architects was genuinely collaborative," Robinson told reporters. "The commitment to reuse and a relatively light but impactful intervention into the fabric was appreciated, not just in terms of economy but also sustainability."
Robinson further praised the winning proposal's innovative approach to educational space design. "The wholehearted embracing of an integrated biophilic design, using specialist consultants was distinctive and convincing and will create a new typology for social learning space at the LSE," he said. "We also liked the well-considered link through to the LSE's Old Building and the suggestion of additional links on the upper floors. LSE has been named University of the Year for a second year in a row, and we want to ensure the reimagination of 61 Aldwych lived up to this accolade."
Tarek Merlin, co-founder and director of Feix&Merlin Architects, expressed his excitement about the project, calling it a landmark moment for his firm. "We're so proud to announce that Feix&Merlin and Alison Brooks Architects have been selected as the winning team for the reinvention of 61 Aldwych competition for LSE," Merlin said. "This is a landmark moment for us – our biggest project to date. A bold reimagining of a prominent corner site on Kingsway and Aldwych, 61A will become a new higher education hub and civic gateway – where the LSE meets the city."
Merlin emphasized the project's sustainability focus, describing it as "a major heritage retrofit and a next-generation learning environment." He noted that their vision was shaped through biophilic design principles and asked, "Could this be LSE's greenest building yet? We can't wait to bring this one to life."
Alison Brooks, founder and creative director of Alison Brooks Architects, highlighted the transformative nature of their proposal. "We're thrilled to be working with the LSE and Feix&Merlin to create an inspiring new teaching and research hub at 61 Aldwych," Brooks said. "Our proposals will transform the existing inward-looking office monolith to an open, outward-looking campus threshold, filled with natural light, greenery and organically connected convening spaces."
Brooks also emphasized the project's alignment with LSE's institutional goals. "We're working with a fantastic project team to ensure this project supports the LSE's ambitious sustainability goals and world-leading academic mission," she added.
The building at 61 Aldwych has a rich and varied history, having once housed the Air Ministry before becoming home to television stations, when it was known as Television House, and later serving as headquarters for Exxon Mobile. LSE reportedly purchased the 17,600 square meter site for £170 million in May this year from a China-based investor, representing a significant investment in the university's physical infrastructure.
This project represents the latest in LSE's ongoing campus development initiatives. The university is currently overseeing another major project involving a David Chipperfield Architects and Feix&Merlin-designed retrofit and extension of another building on its Holborn campus. In 2022, LSE opened the Grafton-designed Marshall Building, also located on the same campus, demonstrating the institution's commitment to architectural excellence.
Feix&Merlin's success in this competition follows recent recognition in the architectural community. The firm secured two wins at last month's AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards, taking home Practice of the Year and Best Adaptive Reuse into Mixed-Use for its restoration of Walworth Town Hall for General Projects.
The competition process began with the first stage launching in June, attracting nineteen architectural practices, from which five were ultimately shortlisted for the final round. The project is estimated for completion in 2028, subject to receiving necessary planning permissions. This timeline allows for the comprehensive design development and approval processes required for such a significant heritage building transformation.
