It was always clear that brickwork was going to be a critical element of the project, with Stiff + Trevillion director Michael Stiff remarking that the design“is steeped in the heritage of Soho of which brickwork is a crucial part. The choice of materials therefore needed to be complementary to those used in nearby buildings, although at the same time, everything from the glazed brick elevation to the door handles [was to be] unique to this building.

The search for perfection was such that the architects and clients Enstar Capital/Land Cap all visited the specialist brickworks at which the final choice of glazed bricks was produced. A bespoke colour of glazed brick was determined to suit the design and also reference the glazed brickwork at the base of nearby buildings with participants eventually identifying “a colour palette of varying shades of blue/green/turquoise colours within individual bricks as it progresses up the external facade of the building.

Explaining the choice of brickwork, a representative of the architects says the glazed brick facade yielded “opportunities to experiment with colour, iridescence, and reflectivity [that contribute] to the vibrancy and creative appeal of Soho. Furthermore, there was a very local historic precedent for glazed brick at 50-54 Beak Street.

Slim brick types are increasingly synonymous with elegant new buildings, so they were a logical choice for 40 Beak Street, where they help to give the facade a satisfyingly elongated look. The use of angled glazed bricks and brick clad soffits also serves to provide variety and interesting design details.

Windows and decorative balustrades with a contrasting powder-coated metal finish, as well as specially-commissioned cast aluminium artworks, also play their part in a building that has attracted a great deal of interest from businesses and individuals including, British contemporary artist Damien Hirst.