Mid-century modern icons such as Richard Seifert’s Space House are increasingly facing the need to be redeveloped in order to improve their functions and performance in line with current environmental and sustainability standards.

The project involves significant building fabric and technical upgrades of the landmark building, the repurposing of basement from car parking to bicycle parking and associated facilities, increase in floor area, and the creation of vibrant new public amenity spaces on the lower levels. The building is tracking a BREEAM Outstanding certification – the first listed commercial building to achieve this.

This panel will explore how retrofit can be achieved in a way that doesn’t detract from such rich architectural heritage, and ask what the modernists got right – and wrong – about low carbon, passive design.