Info
Project Details:
Future-proofing the LSO’s home for rehearsal, community engagement, and performance, to make it more energy efficient, accessible and inclusive.
Images: Tim Crocker
Where we started
The London Symphony Orchestra rehearsing in the renewed Jerwood Hall.
Following our original restoration of the former Hawksmoor church in 2003, we returned to LSO St Luke’s to futureproof the building while adapting it to meet the Orchestra’s long-term business plan.
As the London Symphony Orchestra’s home for performance, recording, education and community engagement, our latest phase of works focused on adapting the historic building to become a better equipped and more inclusive space.
Drawn section of the former Hawksmoor church showing the improved areas within the Grade I listed building.
Our original conversion brought the church back from a state of near ruin, creating a new home for the Orchestra’s rehearsals and its pioneering education and community programme, LSO Discovery.
The newly completed works continue this trajectory, preparing the building for the future with practical, people‑focused upgrades that improve the experience for musicians, staff, visitors and the wider community.
Across the building, internal layouts have been reconfigured to promote more flexible and concurrent use.
Design
A key focus of the project has been the enhancement of Jerwood Hall, the building’s principal performance and rehearsal space. The hall has undergone substantial acoustic improvements, now providing even better conditions for chamber concerts, full orchestral rehearsal and recording.
New digital recording and production facilities include a dedicated Audio Control Room and Master Control Room which enable rapid transitions between live performance, digital capture and editing, supporting the Orchestra’s expanding broadcasting and streaming activity.
The café has been transformed into the Hawksmoor Space, a new adaptable venue for learning activities and community programmes, as well as providing refreshments for guests, orchestral rehearsals, and audiences.
The refurbished Jerwood Hall now provides even better conditions for chamber concerts, full orchestral rehearsal and recording.
A new Audio Control Room meets the highest standards of audio content creation.
Enhanced Clore Rooms and Master Control Room expand the venue’s capacity for music, podcasting, broadcast and filmed content.
An improved step-free access, new pedestrian pathways and lighting to the churchyard create a more inviting arrival experience.
Jerwood Hall provides the flexibility to accommodate a range of layouts, paired with state‑of‑the‑art acoustics.
The transformation has little impact on the historic building, using environmentally conscious design to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.
Accessibility has been significantly improved. A new step‑free entrance now leads directly from Old Street, connecting the building more clearly to its surroundings.
Upgraded wayfinding, accessible drop‑off and pick‑up points, and a Changing Places facility ensure the venue is more inclusive and easier to navigate.
Externally, careful stonework conservation and a new architectural lighting scheme have strengthened the building’s presence within the city, improving visibility and offering a safer, more inviting approach.
The design prioritised the reuse of existing materials, low‑embodied‑carbon solutions and sustainable construction methodologies
Revisiting St Luke’s twenty years on has been a privilege. Working collaboratively with the LSO, the team has evolved the original design to meet today’s expectations for accessibility, sustainability and digital performance, while preserving the qualities that make the building so distinctive. The result is a more flexible, welcoming and future‑ready home for the Orchestra and its community.
Mark Lewis, Arts Studio Director
Core team
Mark Lewis
Studio Director, Arts
Mark Fineberg
Senior Architect
Thomas Böhringer
Senior Architect
