Tall & Urban News

Announced on 21 February, the BT Tower will be purchased by MCR Hotels (MCR), a hotel owner-operator in the United States, from BT Group. MCR intends to secure the future of the iconic Grade II listed tower by repurposing it as a hotel and opening it up to the public. As part of this endeavor, they will partner with architecture firm Heatherwick Studio to consider how best to reimagine this London icon.   

BT Group will take several years to vacate the premises, due to the scale and complexity of the work to move technical equipment, and there will be significant time for design development and engagement with local communities before any proposals come forward.  Thomas Heatherwick said: “My team and I are thrilled to partner with MCR to reimagine the BT Tower. This is an extraordinary building and an amazing opportunity to bring it back to life. We’re excited at the prospect of working with Fitzrovia’s residents and with many thousands of Londoners, to repurpose this important piece of the city’s living heritage.” 

The design studio has previously worked on renovation projects such as the Coal Drops Yard in London, and the Zeitz MOCAA contemporary art museum in Cape Town. MCR owns and operates many of New York City’s best-known hotels, including The High Line Hotel, a former seminary, and the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, a reimagining of Eero Saarinen’s 1962 landmark Flight Center.