Argyll’s ambitious growth strategy sees Lutyens-designed classic reimagined to contemporary office standards in redesign
Today, leading London office space provider, Argyll has unveiled its plans to refurbish Hudson House in Covent Garden. The £3.5m renovation comes as part of an exciting period of expansion for Argyll, following their acquisition by Crosstree Real Estate Partners in May 2025 and their £11 million purchase of 33 Chancery Lane, their first acquisition in over 20 years. Emily Smith, Argyll’s new CEO, is leading a continued expansion and upgrade of the portfolio to meet demand for Grade A office space in prime central London.
Sustainability and heritage have been at the heart of the Hudson House design strategy, with Argyll celebrating the building’s original Lutyens design and its history as Country Life’s headquarters, while upgrading it to modern standards.
Spanning seven floors totalling 14,000 sq ft, the refurbishment will deliver 48 private offices while restoring the building’s Grade II listed features. The redesign will unveil Lutyens’ original marble floor and vaulted ceilings on the ground level, which first operated as the editorial offices of Country Life. The upper floors, which used to be the printworks for the magazine, adopt a more industrial and modern design, celebrating the original use of the space. Argyll has integrated high-tech amenities throughout the refurbishment, installing private call booths, modern meeting room technology, varied seating and lighting options for different working styles, and communal kitchen areas designed to rival the comforts of home. Celebrating and protecting the building’s history and distinctive architecture has been central to the design approach. As part of the building’s sustainable transformation, Argyll used ESG reuse marketplace Globechain to recycle existing furniture and has partnered with Walter Knoll and Bene to provide high-quality, sustainably sourced furnishings designed for longevity.
Emily Smith, CEO of Argyll, commented: “We are delighted to be re-launching a newly refurbished Hudson House into the vibrant Covent Garden area. The property has been part of Argyll since 2005 and sits perfectly within our portfolio of architecturally interesting buildings in prime Central London locations. We’re curating a modern workspace experience that honours the building’s heritage while meeting the evolving needs of today’s workers, and we’re excited to welcome customers into this transformed space.”
Emma Turner, design custodian for the project, commented: “One of the guiding principles of our design approach for Hudson House was to create a calm, considered working environment – a sanctuary for Argyll customers coming in from the bustling Covent Garden. It is a real honour to be working so closely with an original Lutyens design and to be able to foreground his original features throughout the renovation.”
Hudson House is set to reopen its doors and welcome customers from June 2026, with building tours available from March.
