Bishopsgate Institute

A significant Grade II* listed architectural gem refurbished and restored to its former glory.

The Bishopsgate Institute was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, and was built in 1895. The extensive refurbishment project included a complete restoration of the building’s façade and each of the building’s internal spaces, including the Great Hall, as well as the creation of a new café.

The Great Hall is acknowledged as a standout early example of the Arts and Crafts movement, with a unique glass lantern ceiling and an impressive sense of space created by intelligent positioning of large cross-beams. The refurbishment restored a visual connection with the glass lantern, which had been obscured by acoustic tiles since the sixties.

All the original elements of the building were restored, while a new entrance in Brushfield Street was created to help improve building circulation and end-user experience. Improvements to the facilities and building services included air cooling, a new lighting system, new flexible seating, a new state-of-the-art acoustic sound system and a new lift to provide accessibility to the institute for all. The thorough restoration and modernisation of the concert hall completed the project.