Curzon Cineman

The Curzon Cinema in Mayfair is a timeless emblem of cinematic heritage, however in recent years has fallen into decline. 38 Curzon Lease Limited is embarking on a transformative journey to retain and revitalise the culturally important site, breathing new life into the Grade 2 listed building while championing cutting-edge sustainability practices. The essence of the project lies in the seamless amalgamation of Curzon Cinema and the existing restaurant. From the basement to the second floor, the redevelopment not only ensures the retention and reuse of the existing Cinema use, but also enhances additional cinema-focused ancillary activities. Envision spearheaded the sustainability strategy for the site, helping to navigate the complex planning process with a sustainability and energy strategy which pays full respect to the constraints of the existing building.

Envision provided a comprehensive suite of services aligning with the project’s ambitious goals:

• Developed a sustainability strategy, preserving the historical significance of Curzon Cinema.
• Conducted a BREEAM Pre-Assessment against RFO 2014 criteria, striving for a minimum BREEAM Very Good rating.
• Coordinated with various stakeholders and conducted a Design Team Workshop to review options, ensuring alignment with BREEAM goals.
• Undertook an energy assessment and emission reduction strategy following the GLA Guidance on Energy Assessment (2022) for major refurbishment. This detailed process aimed to showcase that the development has made the fullest contribution to minimizing CO₂ emissions, in line with Policy 36 of the Westminster City Plan (2021).
• Undertook thermal comfort analysis to demonstrate how the building could maintain comfortable and efficient year round operating temperature, whilst introducing new glazing and openable windows.

Envision navigated the Grade 2 listed constraints of the building, ensuring the decarbonisation strategy respected the historical significance of the building whilst aligning with the Westminster City Plan. Considering London’s urban heat island effects, an in-depth TM52 overheating analysis was conducted, demonstrating compliance with CIBSE TM52: 2013 methodology for occupied spaces. Envision’s robust energy strategy, overcoming the constraints of the listed building status, included measures such as glazing replacement, transitioning to an all-electric scheme, and upgrading ventilation systems. This resulted in a 28.65% reduction in CO₂ emissions, significantly contributing to Westminster City Plan goals and aligning with future climate objectives through an all-electric solution.

• The proposals centre on retaining and reusing the existing Curzon Cinema building with minimal interventions, preserving London’s built heritage. Key sustainable design features include selective strip-out of low-quality features, exploration of material reuse, and a commitment to at least 95% waste diversion from landfill. The project embraces a car-free site, secure cycle parking, water efficiency measures, waste storage alignment with BREEAM standards, and attaining ‘Air Quality Neutral’ status, showcasing unwavering dedication to environmental responsibility . Envision’s expertise in delivering sustainability and energy assessments shaped the success of the Curzon Cinema Redevelopment.