The new proposals for Nobel House will restore and transform the building into a new mid-range lifestyle hotel with ancillary uses, while preserving its heritage and providing a valuable resource for the community.
Nobel House is a Grade II listed building located between Millbank and Smith Square in the City of Westminster. It was built between 1927 and 1929 as the headquarters for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), and most recently the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The building has been vacant since summer 2024, as it no longer meets the requirements of the modern office market. The building’s current condition is having an adverse impact on its long-term preservation. Criterion’s desire to convert the building to hotel use is borne of a clear demand for new high-quality hotels in this part of Westminster and will both ensure both the long-term survival of this stunning heritage asset whilst discreetly providing a wide range of benefits to the local area.
Criterion Capital are long-term investors and committed custodians of the future of Nobel House, and we are proposing a new mid-range lifestyle hotel to be operated under our own Zedwell brand, a new type of hotel that provides well-designed rooms that focus on providing a good night’s sleep, and are constructed and operated according to the most forward-thinking sustainability standards.
Our plans will provide an accommodation option that meets the demands of a diverse range of visitors to the city, including but not limited to professionals who work in Westminster, and families of tourists who want to experience the plethora of unique cultural and heritage destinations on the building’s doorstep.
We are an agile, forward-thinking real estate owner, developer and platform operator that leverages decades of industry experience to transform obsolete properties into high-value, vibrant and sustainable assets. At our core we are a family business committed to challenging industry norms with innovative design that contributes to long-term economic growth and community development. Our portfolio stretches across London and as far afield as Edinburgh and we have a track-record in successfully delivering and operating hotels, residential and commercial properties.
Zedwell was conceived to provide sustainable and well-designed, sleep-focused accommodation in prime city locations.
To minimise outside disruption and emphasise the focus on sleep, Zedwell’s soundproofed Cocoons are designed without windows or traditional hotel amenities such as TVs. The acoustic properties of the walls and doors are built to a higher standard than what’s required by building regulations.
In addition to looking after our guests, Zedwell hotels want to do their part in looking after the planet: our ventilation systems use air-purifying filters, the windowless rooms use less energy to heat than traditional guestrooms, plus sustainable materials are used in the renovation of all the properties.
The first Zedwell opened in 2020 in Piccadilly Circus, London and since then it has pioneered a new hotel typology, allowing end of life buildings to be reused and striking a chord with travellers who prioritise a good night’s sleep in addition to a great location.
Discover our vision to transform Nobel House
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