Colton Square

Colton Square

Occupying a significant 1.5 acre site in the city centre, the redevelopment of the former Charles Street Police Station in Leicester offered an opportunity to rejuvenate the wider area. The project brief included upgrading and extending an existing listed building, adding an extension and a new office and residential block to provide high quality office space and housing. Placing the new buildings around a central square improved circulation around the site, whilst a palette of contemporary materials was selected which made reference to the historic building unifying old and new. Connectivity between the new and old buildings was achieved by enlarging original window openings within the rear wall of the listed building, creating a continuous flow of office space. This also ensured suitable floorplate depths with the best use of natural daylighting and aspects. A space planning exercise revealed that the listed building comfortably achieved modern day occupancy standards.