A historical space for a high-tech giant

• Preserved a Grade II listed building, keeping the buildings historic integrity while seamlessly integrating the cutting-edge technology that Microsoft embodies. 

• Overcame logistical challenges on London's busiest retail street and above tube lines, saving 6 weeks of programme time through an expedited strip-out process. 

• Successfully maintained the listed façade by raising the 900-tonne building in one evening, avoiding any changes to its foundation.

Covering three floors, the store is designed to build connections with the local community, businesses, and customers, offering the latest technology, products, and services from Microsoft and its partners. It includes an experience centre for commercial customers, a community theatre for digital learning, an answer desk for technical support, and a state-of-the-art gaming lounge. 

Mace acted as a project manager and cost consultant on converting the Grade II listed building into a high-tech retail space for Microsoft. This is one of the country’s most complex retail projects, where a historical building was transformed to accommodate cutting-edge technology—much like Microsoft, a company making history by pushing the boundaries of innovation. 

Transforming 244 Regent Street, on one of the world’s busiest retail streets, came with a number of challenges, including keeping traffic disruption to a minimum and making structural alterations on the Grade II listed building. Mace used its in-house construction team to understand the project complexity in advance and employed the most efficient delivery strategies to save costs and time while maintaining the listed façade of the building.