People waiting outside a bar called The Lower Third on a city street in the evening, with cars parked nearby and brick buildings on the street.

The Lower Third

Completing and Re-Opening One of London’s Favourite Music Venues

Architect: Archer Humphryes Architects
Budget: Confidential
Completed 2022

Photography: Keith Collie

After successfully restoring the building to shell and core standard for the freeholder whilst at an earlier practice, our team was invited by the tenant to complete the project and bring this historic London Music Venue back to life. Our task involved carefully fitting out and re-checking the Grade II listed 18th-century front building, while also making structural modifications to the new-build music venues situated beneath the retained "Smithy" to the rear, as well as modifying the glass link building that sits between the listed structures.

To meet the logistical, acoustic, and fire safety needs of the new tenant, we created new floors and access routes within the shell and core structure. The result is a stunning new venue that features an intimate bar on the ground level and a gig venue and additional bar below. The project seamlessly blends historic and modern elements to provide a unique and unforgettable setting.

Modern reception area with a perforated gold-colored counter, brick wall, exposed ceiling pipes, and wooden flooring with ambient lighting.
A brick building with three upper-story windows, a black storefront labeled 'The Lower Third,' and street-facing entrance with the number 26. The interior visible through the windows appears to be a restaurant or bar.
Empty modern bar with wooden flooring, backlit shelves with bottles, and a concrete ceiling with exposed ducts.
Empty indoor music venue or concert stage with drums, guitars, and amplifiers, stage lighting, and sound equipment.

Our task involved carefully fitting out and re-checking the Grade II listed 18th-century front building, while also making structural modifications to the new-build music venues situated beneath the retained "Smithy" to the rear…

Interior of a rustic bar or restaurant with exposed brick walls, wooden ceiling, and yellow neon lighting forming the word 'You'.

We created new floors and access routes within the shell and core structure. The result is a stunning new venue that features an intimate bar on the ground level and a gig venue and additional bar below.

Construction site with workers wearing yellow safety vests and white hard hats, standing on a platform inside unfinished building with concrete walls and ceiling.
Construction worker wearing a yellow safety vest and black hard hat standing near a concrete staircase with metal railings inside a building under construction. The room has unfinished concrete walls and exposed electrical wiring.
Construction site with concrete walls, brick walls, and metal railings, with an open ceiling showing the sky.