The St James’s Market contract for The Crown Estate and Oxford Properties will provide 260,000 sq ft of new commercial and retail space across two eight-storey blocks between Regent Street and Haymarket.
It is part of a wider £400m redevelopment of St James’s Market, designed by Make Architects.
The first block, at 14-20 Regent Street, includes a retained heritage façade which will be repaired and restored as part of the contract.
The second block, at 52-56 Haymarket, will incorporate a curved glass and Portland Stone wall that will be installed in 4m x 3m sections using a tower crane.
Balfour Beatty said it would rely on 4D Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology capability to create a virtual environment and design out certain risks and minimise disruption in the area before starting on site.
Modular offsite construction techniques will be used for the mechanical and electrical services.
Public realm improvements on the project include creation of a new 10,000 sq ft piazza.
Balfour Beatty chief executive Andrew McNaughton said: “Working within the capital invariably presents its challenges but the investment we have made in digital technology and modular construction will come to the fore on this project and we look forward to demonstrating our expertise.”
Work starts on site this autumn and is scheduled for completion in summer 2015.
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