LSE signs up McLaren for major Passivhaus scheme

The London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) has appointed McLaren Construction for the £100M retrofit and extension of 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

The redevelopment has been designed by David Chipperfield Architects to be an exemplar in circular design and resource efficiency. It is expected to be the largest Passivhaus retrofit building in the UK to date.

Around 60% of the original building will be retained when the top three floors and roof plant enclosure are demolished and replaced by an extension. This will increase the available floorspace from 9,856m² to 11,848m².

The remodelled building will accommodate the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, and provide additional space for the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Statistics.

There will also be a range of teaching spaces, lecture halls and seminar rooms, as well as a theatre, offices, a dining area, external terrace and ground floor café.

Julian Robinson, Director of Estates at the LSE, said: “This transformative project represents a major milestone in LSE’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and academic excellence. It sets out to redefine standards in building reuse and sustainable development, targeting high accreditations alongside ambitious embodied and operational carbon targets.

“This is more than a building, it’s a bold statement about the future of education, architecture and environmental responsibility.”

The new building is scheduled for completion in 2027.