A prominent seven-storey office building in Birmingham city centre is now available to let following a major refurbishment by landlord, Urbana Partners UK. King Edward House, on New Street, offers 78,550 sq ft of newly refurbished workspace, including several unique internal courtyards and a range of high-quality occupier amenities. All
As flexible workspace provider Orega celebrates 25 years in business, the company is spotlighting how premium flexible offices have moved from perk to business-critical infrastructure. Against this backdrop of economic success, Orega’s 25 year milestone reflects not only the evolution of the flexible workspace sector nationally, but also the growing
A prominent seven-storey office building in Birmingham city centre is now available to let following a major refurbishment by landlord, Urbana Partners UK. King Edward House, on New Street, offers 78,550 sq ft of newly refurbished workspace, including several unique internal courtyards and a range of high-quality occupier amenities. All seven floors have been refurbished to CAT A specification, providing generous floor plates of up to 12,000 sq ft. Originally built in 1936, King Edward House is characterised by its imposing Portland stone façade and will now be complemented by 5,000 sq ft of outdoor workspace. Internal light wells provide courtyard space on the second, third and fourth floors, while occupiers will also benefit from two roof terraces on the 7th floor, with far reaching views across the city centre. Additional amenities include a large gym and studio space, as well as end-of-trip cycle storage and shower facilities. In addition to the building’s attractive heritage façade, the refurbishment has provided strong sustainability credentials, including operational smart energy services, LED lighting and photovoltaic solar roof panels, and is targeting BREEAM Excellent and WiredScore Gold certifications. Nick Lloyd, Partner at Urbana Partners UK, said: “We are delighted to bring King Edward House back to life through our sustainable refurbishment of the building, which has included a complete repositioning of the ground and lower ground floors. These now provide the new reception and arrival area overlooking New Street, as well as high-quality occupier amenities. “With wellbeing as a primary driver, the refurbishment includes a new 7th floor roof terrace for all occupiers as well as seven other lettable outdoor workspaces. With the space offered at a considerable discount to the current top rents being achieved in the city, we look forward to welcoming occupiers into the new King Edward House community very soon.” Charles Toogood, partner at Newmark, added: “King Edward House presents a compelling opportunity for occupiers seeking modern, energy efficient workspace in the heart of Birmingham city centre. The combination of generous floor plates and a wide range of amenities will appeal to a broad range of businesses, from established corporates to growing firms. “Given the significant investment in the building and its proximity to key transport hubs, we expect the scheme to attract strong interest, particularly from those seeking value relative to other available office space in the city centre.” King Edward House is located close to Birmingham New Street station and within a short walk of Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham Moor Street and HS2’s future Birmingham Curzon Street station. For more information, please contact Mark Robinson and Charlotte Fullard at Avison Young, and George Jennings and Charles Toogood at Newmark. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As flexible workspace provider Orega celebrates 25 years in business, the company is spotlighting how premium flexible offices have moved from perk to business-critical infrastructure. Against this backdrop of economic success, Orega’s 25 year milestone reflects not only the evolution of the flexible workspace sector nationally, but also the growing importance of premium flexible offices in cities across the UK. Alan Pepper, CEO of Orega, comments: “Reaching our upcoming 25th anniversary is a proud milestone for the business. The flexible workspace sector has evolved dramatically since Orega was founded – we’ve weathered the storm of three economic downturns and a global pandemic – and we’ve come out stronger than ever. “It’s clear that flexibility is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s now central to how modern businesses operate.” For growing businesses, the appeal is strategic as much as practical. Flexible workspaces allow firms to scale without long-term real estate commitments, access central locations that help attract talent, and present a professional environment that matches their ambitions. Bristol is perhaps the clearest example of a strong regional economy proving Orega’s point. The West of England is growing at four times the national average, generating over £54bn annually, with the city maintaining the highest rate of net business start-ups outside London. That economic momentum is driving sustained demand for high-quality, flexible office space from professional services, tech and financial firms. But Bristol is part of a broader national picture where hybrid working has matured from a pandemic-era experiment into an established operating model, prompting businesses of all sizes to fundamentally rethink what they need from office space, and why. Alan adds: “In cities like Bristol, we’re seeing sustained demand from established corporations and ambitious growing businesses who want flexibility without compromising on quality or location. The role of the office has changed; it’s about creating environments that foster collaboration, support wellbeing and reflect a company’s brand and ambition.” A proven model for sustainable growth Over the past two and a half years, Orega has opened eight new premium centres and grown its team with key strategic hires including CEO Alan Pepper, COO David Kinnaird, and Commercial Director Sophie Turnbull. Orega is also the pioneer of Management Agreements with Landlords, a unique approach to flexible workspaces that has been central to its success, setting a precedent for sustainable growth in the sector. The company’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down, with ambitious plans to expand to 45 locations over the next five years at an average rate of four new sites per year. The focus will remain on London, the UK’s six big regional cities – including Bristol – and select locations where demand for premium flexible workspaces continues to rise. Alan comments: “Our future growth will be shaped by the same principles that got us to where we are today. We want to keep empowering businesses to unlock their true potential, remaining agile and responsive to the changing market. The flexible workspace industry is maturing and we’re proud to be at the forefront of that evolution.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals