The wait is nearly over for England's much cherished Arding & Hobbs Department store's mixed-use makeover.

This grade II listed heritage building was built at the turn of the nineteenth century and is a cultural landmark featured in many classic films, television, and music videos, but it had become run down over the years. 

Stiff and Trevlilon design breathes new life into the 97,000 sq ft (27,432 m²) building with an extensive refurbishment, including a new, cross-laminated timber (CLT) framed roof pavilion clad in scalloped brass.  Situated in the heart of Clapham Junction, Arding & Hobbs benefits from the energy of a town-centre location, minutes from the epicentre of London. 

Stora Enso supplied the Sylva™ CLT Floors and Roofs for the biodiverse rooftop extension, adding additional floors to the existing building in collaboration with our partner B&K Structures.  The heightening of the building with the two-story rooftop pavilion is discreetly set back from the façade to minimise the visual impact. It provides outdoor rooftop terrace access for the tenants.

These new floors rest on the existing columns and spine walls, applying a lightweight steel and timber structure that requires only minimal modifications within the volume below. And demonstrates the retrofit and circular economy benefits of the Sylva™ CLT kit.

Everyone working on the project went to incredible lengths to care for the existing fabric during this refurbishment and ensure the clock tower, stain glass windows and the dome roof were preserved and it shows. 

Read more about this impressive century-old adaptive reuse and repurpose project

Awards and Specifications

BREEAM 'EXCELLENT'

AYA Awards Office

2021 New London Awards (commended)

Unbuilt - 2021 WAF Awards (shortlisted)

Future Projects

2021 Planning Awards (shortlisted)

Stakeholder Engagement - 2021