Mitsui Fudosan’s redevelopment of the Television Centre site in White City, West London, former home of the BBC, has taken a significant step forward with the topping out – today – of The Ariel, a 25-storey residential tower comprising 167 homes designed by AHMM, and Scenery House, a mid-rise residential block of 180 homes designed by dRMM.

The topping out was marked by a traditional Sake Barrel Breaking Ceremony ‘kagami-biraki’.  Following Japanese tradition, representatives from Mitsui Fudosan, development manager Stanhope and main contractor Multiplex, broke open the lid of the sake barrel using a wooden mallet, before a toast to progress on site.

Once complete, these two developments will deliver 347 new homes – ranging from studio apartments to townhouses aimed at local families – totalling 470,000 sq ft.  Both developments are on target for completion during Q3 2027 and bring the creative vision of two Stirling Prize-winning architects to the area.  These join Macfarlane Place, completed at the end of 2024 which provides 142 affordable homes for Peabody across two buildings and designed by Maccreanor Lavington, also a recipient of the Stirling Prize.

The scheme – which will ultimately deliver nearly 1.5 million sq ft of development on the former BBC site – is one of Mitsui Fudosan’s most important and ambitious projects globally.  The masterplan by AHMM is centred on the reinvention of the iconic Grade II listed Television Centre building with its instantly recognisable rotunda and the creation of new outdoor spaces by landscape architects Gillespies.

The buildings comprising Phase 2 of the Television Centre masterplan are designed to have a distinctive character, complementing each other as well as those buildings already established across the wider estate.  These buildings will complete the masterplan and further open up the site to local residents by the creation of a pedestrian connection through to Hammersmith Park via interlinking streets.

Takeshi Iwama, Chief Executive of Mitsui Fudosan UK, said: “The topping out of Phase 2 of the Television Centre masterplan marks a significant milestone in both the realisation of the original masterplan for the site and the wider White City regeneration area vision to deliver homes throughout the area.  Television Centre is part of a regeneration project which includes Westfield shopping centre, White City Place (formerly the BBC’s headquarters) and Imperial College London which seeks to bring together a rich mix of communities across the area.  It demonstrates Mitsui Fudosan’s continuing commitment to London, the living sector, quality design and sustainable construction.”

The wider 14-acre Television Centre site is owned by a joint venture between Mitsui Fudosan and AIMCo, with Stanhope as asset manager.

For further information please contact Redwood:

Paul Stelmaszczyk on +44 (0)7808 870704 / stel@redwoodcomms.co.uk

Debbie Cracknell on +44 (0)7860 658288 / debbie@redwoodcomms.co.uk

About the traditional sake barrel-breaking Ceremony ‘kagami-biraki’

• A ceremony performed at celebratory events in which the lid of the sake barrel is broken open by a wooden mallet – with sake then being served by way of a toast
• Kagami refers to the ‘lid’ of the sake barrel, while biraki means ‘to open’, so ‘kagami-biraki’ literally means ‘opening the lid’
• Because of the lid’s round shape, the kagami is a symbol of harmony. As a result, ‘kagami-biraki’ represents an opening to harmony and good fortune