The Rose Court building, located at 2 Southwark Bridge Road, London, has received planning permission for extensive refurbishment.

BDG architecture + design has obtained planning permission on behalf of WPP. The BDG refurbishment will dramatically improve the performance of the existing Rose Court building and includes sensitively added mass along Southwark Bridge Road and at roof level.

An addition to the front façade, the street line and the roof extension will be carefully sculpted in response to long-range protected views of St Paul’s. A new rooftop terrace, bordered by green roof and planting, offers spectacular views towards the City, South Bank, Tate Modern and across the River Thames.

Externally, the existing heavy granite cladding will be removed and replaced with a new high-performance brick and glass facade system. Along Southwark Bridge Road at ground and first floors the granite cladding will be replaced with full height ‘shop front’ style glazing to increase visibility and transparency helping to animate the street.

Internally, the scheme provides high quality ‘CatA +’ shared amenity spaces in the form of a café, canteen, restaurant event space and business lounge. These are located at lower and upper storeys with new staircase connections to encourage movement and ease pressure on lifts.

The flexible workspace will incorporate elements of the existing exposed concrete structure in open areas to aximise volume. Services will be concealed and cores fully refurbished.

The existing building sits astride the 16th century remains of the Rose Playhouse. Uncovered in 1989, the Rose Playhouse is one of the best-preserved examples of its type and a listed historical monument. BDG has been working closely with the Rose Theatre Trust to improve the existing Playhouse setting while ensuring the Playhouse can continue to operate during the project works.

The BDG design takes cues from the historical context and local industrial fabric using earthy, natural materials and colour references. A generous sunken courtyard at roof level echoes the size and position of the original Playhouse structure and houses a stunning spiral concrete staircase, giving access to the roof.

The building will achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.