Academy House

Did you ever imagine Oxford Street with a touch of 1930s glamour? Right here at Academy House, that dream becomes a reality. Academy House stands at the corner of Oxford Street and Poland Street. It’s a reincarnation of a 1980s commercial building. But it whispers stories of a vibrant past. This very spot once housed a renowned art house cinema. It was even home to the legendary Marquee Club, run by Harold Pendleton, the founder of the Reading Festival. Academy House is part of a revitalization project breathing new life into the east end of Oxford Street. Today, Academy House boasts four floors of retail space and four floors of office space. A timber-decked terrace wraps around the building. Imagine enjoying panoramic views of central London from up there. The building’s striking facade is clad in bespoke faience tiles, a nod to the rich architectural heritage of its neighbors. Think of Robert Lutyens’s black granite Pantheon building, Belcher and Joass’ Mappin & Webb building, and Norman Shaw’s Wren-inspired Waring & Willow building. The vertically-ribbed, blue-glazed tiles create a beautiful contrast with the horizontal fritting of the windows. Inside, the office spaces embrace a semi-industrial aesthetic, with exposed services and structure. The architects even collaborated with London artist Catherine Bertola and The Sculpture Factory. Together they designed the Art Deco-inspired perforated steel entrance gates. Academy House is more than just a building. It’s a testament to the past and a beacon for the future of Oxford Street.