Victoria House

Victoria House is a Grade II listed landmark overlooking Bloomsbury Square, repositioned as a major new centre for life sciences in London. Following a comprehensive refurbishment, the building now combines its historic architectural character with the technical infrastructure required for modern laboratory operations.

Delivering approximately 200,000 sq ft of Grade A, wet lab-enabled accommodation, Victoria House responds to the growing demand for high-quality laboratory space. The development has been designed as a multi-tenant life sciences hub, bringing together early-stage companies, scaling businesses, and established research and pharmaceutical organisations within a single flexible environment.

A key requirement for the project was the creation of laboratory spaces capable of rapid reconfiguration, allowing occupiers to change without extensive strip-out or disruption. This was particularly critical within a listed building, where protecting the existing fabric while enabling future adaptability was essential.

SB Laboratories was appointed to manufacture and supply laboratory furniture across multiple floors of the building. Working closely with the wider project team, SB Labs delivered bespoke laboratory workstations designed to support CL2 use and a wide range of scientific workflows, while enabling efficient occupier changeover.

The solution centred on freestanding, movable benching systems that can be easily repositioned as tenant requirements evolve. This approach supports long-term flexibility and reduces future fit-out costs, aligning with the building’s multi-tenant strategy.

Each workstation incorporates overbench shelving and integrated task lighting, with mounted service bars providing electrical services at bench level. Underbench cable baskets ensure organised service management, while mobile cupboards on castors allow storage and equipment to be relocated as required.

This approach reduces the need for future strip-out and supports efficient tenant changeover, while working within the constraints of a listed building.

***All photos by Jordan Gurry Photography