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UK: Architecture and design firm Studio Moren has been granted planning permission on behalf of JMK Group to convert a London office into a 180-key luxury hotel. 

The site, located at 27-28 Clements Lane, will see the Grade II-listed Victorian building transformed into a luxury hotel with a lounge, restaurant, café and bar at ground level.

A new lightweight metal roof extension will provide additional guest room levels. The roof takes inspiration from the vaulted forms of the neighbouring St Clement’s Church.

The design will preserve and restore key architectural features, including the Clements Lane façade, original staircases and cast-iron columns. Lost details such as decorative plaster ceilings, chimney breasts and segmental arches will also be reinstated.

Sustainability features include the addition of HVAC, roof PV, fabric upgrades, passive design measures, window planters, rainwater harvesting, and a biodiverse green roof. The project is targeting BREEAM Excellent. 

Bryan Oknyansky, head of sustainability, at Studio Moren, said: “This approval marks an exciting milestone for Studio Moren in employing our in-house sustainability expertise. We embedded complex sustainability principles into the design from the outset, streamlining the planning process and turning sustainability compliance into a collaborative opportunity to enhance environmental outcomes. This approval reflects how proactive coordination across stakeholders strengthens our design-led approach to delivering exemplary projects.”

Mark Wood, partner at Studio Moren, added: “This project, confidently approved under delegated powers by the City of London Corporation, exemplifies how historic buildings can evolve gracefully to meet contemporary needs. By extending and adapting the original structure, we have enabled the building to grow in a way that feels natural within its context. Our aim was to create a hotel that feels rooted in place, one that honours the City of London’s layered history while offering a new kind of hospitality experience shaped by craft, character and connection.”

Highlights:

  • Planning permission has been granted to convert a Grade II-listed Victorian office building at 27–28 Clements Lane in the City of London into a 180-key luxury hotel.
  • The hotel conversion will retain and restore historic architectural features while introducing a lightweight roof extension inspired by the neighbouring St Clement’s Church.
  • Ground-floor amenities will include a lounge, restaurant, café, and bar, supporting an active street-level hospitality offering.
  • The project integrates sustainability measures such as photovoltaic panels, upgraded building fabric, rainwater harvesting, and a biodiverse green roof, targeting BREEAM Excellent certification.
  • Studio Moren led the design and sustainability strategy for the project on behalf of JMK Group, with approval granted under delegated powers by the City of London Corporation.