WilkinsonEyre has been announced as the architects of a new $268 million adaptive reuse plan that will overhaul a World War II era bomb shelter underneath High Holborn, London into a high-tech immersive tourist destination.

The plan was made possible after the government-run tunnels were made public for the first time in 70 years. Their clients, The London Tunnels Ltd., purchased the nearly mile-long tract with designs on transforming it into a digital experience-laden cavern with the potential for a bar space, restaurant, and exhibits for upwards of two million visitors per year.

The firm’s London Director, Paul Baker, said: “These secret spaces present the opportunity to tell extraordinary stories that helped shape the 20th century, alongside awe-inspiring digital immersive experiences.”

WilkinsonEyre’s makeover of the 7.6 meter (24.9 foot)-wide spaces will include installing curved screens, scent-emitting technology, a system of pinpoint audio speakers, and other elements to match the Tunnel’s theme, which is derived from its former uses as the real-life spy headquarters that inspired the ‘Q Branch’ described in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. 

Cold War relics and other restored vestiges taken from its later repurposing into an underground telecommunications hub will also be on display throughout the space. 

The plans must still wait on official planning approvals before construction can get underway. Once they are, WilkinsonEyre says they expect the project to be realized by the end of 2027.