Canary Wharf Group is preparing to bring forward another significant office retrofit on its Docklands estate, with plans progressing for the transformation of the former 33 Canada Square building. The landmark Norman Foster-designed office block has already secured planning consent for a substantial 545,000 sq ft upgrade and will be redeveloped as One Eden, a 17-storey scheme reworked by architect TP Bennett. The project is expected to move ahead once a pre-let agreement has been secured. Positioned next to Eden Dock, the redevelopment will introduce a range of new features designed to modernise the building and strengthen its connection to the surrounding public realm. Plans include new ground floor retail space and the potential addition of a rooftop destination restaurant, enhancing the building’s appeal as a mixed-use destination. At the heart of the scheme is a dramatic new atrium, intended to draw natural light deep into the floorplates while creating stronger links between the building and nearby green and waterside spaces, including Jubilee Park, Canada Square Park and Eden Dock itself. Sustainability is a central focus of the redevelopment. Canary Wharf Group plans to retain 97 per cent of the building’s existing substructure and superstructure, preserving more than 62,000 tonnes of concrete and significantly reducing embodied carbon. The upgraded building will be fully electric and will incorporate heat pump technology, alongside a suite of energy-efficient measures. These include high-performance glazing, upgraded HVAC systems, heat recovery ventilation, LED lighting and smart building controls, all contributing to an anticipated 44 per cent reduction in regulated carbon emissions. Additional features will include winter gardens within the atrium spaces, a rooftop terrace and photovoltaic panels to support on-site renewable energy generation. The scheme will also benefit from dual power supply resilience, supported by tenant generator capacity. One Eden is targeting a range of high-level sustainability and performance certifications, including BREEAM Excellent, WELL Platinum, NABERS 4.5-star, EPC A and WiredScore Platinum. The project reflects Canary Wharf Group’s ongoing strategy to reposition existing assets through large-scale retrofit, delivering modern, low-carbon workspace aligned with evolving occupier expectations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Tishman Speyer is preparing a major refurbishment of 50 Pall Mall following its acquisition of the prime office building in the heart of St James’s, underlining its continued investment in central London. The nine-storey property, which offers 33,888 sq ft of Grade A office space, was acquired off-market from Lazari Investments, which had owned the asset since 2019. Currently around 87 per cent let, the building occupies a highly sought-after location close to Mayfair, Green Park and Piccadilly, with strong connectivity across multiple Underground lines. Originally constructed in 1913, the building has undergone several transformations, including a redevelopment in 1997 that retained its distinctive carved Portland stone façade, and a further upgrade in 2006 to bring it in line with Grade A office standards. Tishman Speyer now plans a comprehensive refurbishment to modernise the building and enhance its long-term appeal to occupiers. The proposals include a significant uplift in environmental performance, alongside improvements to internal amenities. Planned upgrades range from a redesigned entrance lobby to the introduction of a new roof terrace, reflecting growing demand for high-quality, experience-led workplaces in central London. The scheme will focus on repositioning the asset to meet modern ESG expectations, while maintaining the character of the historic structure. Efficient floorplates of around 4,000 sq ft are expected to be retained, offering flexible workspace suited to a range of occupiers. Martin Simonneau, managing director and regional director for Tishman Speyer UK, said the acquisition presents a rare opportunity to enhance a prime office building in one of the capital’s most prestigious locations. He added that the company intends to draw on its placemaking and development expertise to deliver best-in-class workspace, aligning with evolving occupier requirements around sustainability, amenity and design quality. The purchase of 50 Pall Mall further strengthens Tishman Speyer’s London portfolio and follows the completion of Angel Square in Islington in 2025. The developer is also progressing the large-scale redevelopment of Belvedere SW1, a 550,000 sq ft mixed-use campus in Victoria. The latest acquisition highlights ongoing confidence in prime London offices, particularly assets that can be repositioned through retrofit-led strategies to meet the next generation of workplace standards. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Architect Hopkins has revealed detailed proposals to transform 1 Embankment Place above London’s Charing Cross Station, reworking the ageing office building into a high-specification, low-carbon workplace and mixed-use destination. The scheme is being brought forward for developer Bridgemont and centres on a substantial retrofit of the Terry Farrell-designed property. Rather than demolish and rebuild, the plans will retain around 90 per cent of the existing structure, along with most of the current façade, while comprehensively overhauling the building internally and at street level. The redevelopment will provide 35,000 sq m of Grade A office accommodation, alongside new outdoor terraces, upgraded occupier amenities and a reimagined ground floor. A more premium mix of retail, food and leisure uses is proposed at lower level, with the intention of creating a livelier, more attractive destination in this high-profile central London location. A key part of the design is the opening up of the building at street level, particularly along Villiers Street. Active frontages and improved access to daylight are intended to strengthen the relationship between the building and the public realm, helping to create a more welcoming and better-connected urban environment. Sustainability is central to the proposals. The project is targeting a 70 per cent reduction in operational energy use, supported by all-electric building systems and integrated rooftop solar panels. The scheme is also aiming for leading environmental credentials, including BREEAM Outstanding, reflecting the growing demand for high-performance, retrofit-led commercial space in central London. In addition to the internal reconfiguration and energy upgrades, the wider plans include improvements to pedestrian routes around the site, reinforcing its role within one of Westminster’s busiest transport and commercial hubs. The proposal positions 1 Embankment Place as one of the capital’s most significant retrofit office opportunities, combining the retention of a recognised landmark structure with the delivery of modern workspace, upgraded amenities and stronger environmental performance. The plans have now entered public consultation ahead of a formal planning submission. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

GMI Construction Group has been confirmed as main contractor for 35 Fountain Street, a new office development in central Manchester that is being positioned as one of the city’s most sustainable commercial buildings. The scheme is being brought forward by developer Bywater and designed by Bennetts Associates. At its core is a strong retrofit and low-carbon strategy, with the existing steel frame to be retained and integrated into a hybrid structural solution incorporating cross laminated timber. The use of CLT is intended to significantly reduce embodied carbon while maintaining structural performance and design flexibility. The completed building will provide 87,000 sq ft of workspace arranged over a basement, ground floor and eight upper levels. Two newly consented additional storeys will deliver a further 16,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, supporting demand for high-quality, energy-efficient workspace in the city centre. The project reflects a growing trend in Manchester towards adaptive reuse and material retention as part of wider decarbonisation objectives. By combining the existing structure with modern timber technology, the development aims to demonstrate how new commercial space can be delivered with a substantially lower environmental impact. Chris Riley, development manager at Bywater, said the appointment of GMI marks an important step as the scheme moves into its next phase. He added that close collaboration with Manchester City Council, the contractor and the wider consultant team will ensure the project sets a new benchmark for sustainability, design quality and environmental performance in the city. Construction is expected to progress through 2026 and 2027, with the completed building offering flexible, future-focused workspace designed to meet evolving occupier expectations around energy efficiency, wellbeing and environmental responsibility. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Bovis has secured a major contract to refurbish, extend and fit out 10 Paternoster Square in the City of London, in a £200m transformation of the London Stock Exchange’s headquarters. Developers Oxford Properties and Hines have appointed Bovis Construction (Europe) under a pre-construction services agreement to deliver the comprehensive reconfiguration of the landmark building. The scheme marks a notable return for Bovis, which originally completed the property in 2003 as part of the wider Paternoster Square development. The project will reshape the building to provide best-in-class office accommodation alongside a new public-facing attraction in the heart of the Square Mile. Central to the redevelopment is the reimagining of the London Stock Exchange’s ceremonial core. For the first time, the daily market opening and closing ceremonies will be made visible to the public through the introduction of a new glass atrium, bringing traditionally private moments into view. The works will also include new roof extensions, the creation of an events pavilion and the addition of terraces and balconies offering panoramic views towards St Paul’s Cathedral. The aim is to deliver a more open, engaging and experience-led workspace that reflects the evolving demands of occupiers in prime central London. Sustainability sits at the core of the proposals. The scheme is targeting BREEAM Excellent and NABERS 5-star accreditation, with more than 95 per cent of the existing structural frame and façade to be retained in line with circular economy principles. This retention-led approach is expected to significantly reduce embodied carbon while extending the life of the building. Bovis chief executive David Cadiot said it was a privilege to return to a building the company had originally delivered more than two decades ago, adding that the transformation would create both high-quality workspace and a new visitor destination for the City. Pre-construction services are due to commence next month, with completion anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2028. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The Birmingham capital markets team at leading commercial real estate services firm, CBRE, has been appointed to sell the investment for 3 Chamberlain Square, a landmark office building that has been labelled “the best outside of London.” Managed by Federated Hermes, the 191,000 sq ft building is considered best-in-class with purposeful design features that exemplify a modern workplace. Located in Birmingham’s central business district, 3 Chamberlain Square is part of the £1.2 billion Paradise development, expanding the area’s business, residential and leisure offering. Completed in May 2025, the building’s innovative design has achieved a host of certifications. This list includes EPC A, BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and NABERS UK 5*, acknowledging its exemplary sustainability credentials, as well as ActiveScore ‘Platinum’ and WiredScore ‘Platinum’, recognising how its design supports active travel and its advanced use of technology respectively.   All nine office floors were placed under offer ahead of practical completion, with the final letting achieving a rent of £52 per square foot, the highest of the UK’s big six cities. Tenants include global law firm, Eversheds, international accounting and advisory firm, Forvis Mazars and ‘big four’ accounting firm, EY. The building has also become home to CBRE’s Birmingham office. The asset boasts a Weighted Average Unexpired Lease Term (WAULT) of over 10 years to breaks and 14 years to expiries. Nick Woodward, Head of CBRE’s Birmingham Investment team, said: “3 Chamberlain Square is a unique investment opportunity. The building itself achieves excellence in every category, from sustainability credentials to design, making it arguably the best office building outside of London. This is further demonstrated through the extremely high calibre of occupiers that the building has attracted, offering a stable and already reversionary rental income. “Birmingham as a city is brimming with opportunity, which is only going to get more attractive as HS2 continues to progress and the level of inward investment increases. 3 Chamberlain Square entering the market is the perfect opportunity for those looking to benefit early from Birmingham’s inevitable growth.” CBRE is quoting a price of £123.2m, which reflects a Net Initial Yield of 6.5% for the asset. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Developers behind the proposed 1 Silk Street office scheme have reduced the height of the project in a renewed effort to secure planning approval from the City of London Corporation and address concerns raised by Barbican residents. Lipton Rogers and LaSalle Investment Management have submitted revised plans for the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed building, trimming more than 10 metres from the western side of the block. Three storeys have been removed from the section facing Cromwell Tower, following criticism over daylight loss, massing and the impact on the neighbouring Barbican Estate. Under the updated proposals, the western portion of the building will now rise only three storeys above the existing Linklaters headquarters it is set to replace, rather than six as previously planned. The eastern side of the scheme will retain its original height, maintaining alignment with the taller commercial buildings nearby. The design team says the revisions significantly reduce visual and daylight impacts. External terraces have been removed to prevent overlooking, while measures including obscured glazing, façade fins and automated blinds have been incorporated to address privacy concerns. Despite the reduction in scale, the scheme will still provide 91,142 sq m of Grade A office accommodation, approximately five per cent less than initially proposed. The development is aimed at large trading-floor occupiers, with market forecasts suggesting a potential shortfall of prime office space in the City by 2028. Public realm and cultural elements have also been strengthened. Plans include a new plaza on Silk Street to create a clearer gateway to the Barbican Centre, alongside a redesigned 2,282 sq m public realm and a pedestrian arcade linking Moorgate and Liverpool Street directly to the Barbican. In addition, nearly 1,300 sq m of retail and restaurant space is proposed, together with a new performance venue, Silk Street Hall, and a community-focused Creative Community Lab, reinforcing the scheme’s ambition to blend commercial development with cultural and civic benefit. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Bank lets additional 15,500 sq ft in office building The Co-operative Bank has completed a major expansion at its official base at One Balloon Street in Manchester, taking an additional 15,500 sq ft of space on the fourth floor of the building.    This latest letting increases the bank’s total occupancy to 45,000 sq ft within the building.  Real estate advisors CBRE advised landlord Wittington Investments on the transaction. The deal further strengthens the occupier line-up at the centrally located office building, which is now almost fully let, with only the 3rd floor now available. The remainder of the property is occupied by Orega, which operates 26,000 sq ft of serviced office and co-working space within the building. Following the latest letting, Wittington Investments is pressing ahead with the refurbishment of the vacant third floor. The works will deliver 15,000 sq ft of fully fitted and furnished workspace, ready for immediate occupation, with completion earmarked for March 2026. One Balloon Street provides contemporary office accommodation, complemented by a range of shared amenities including a second-floor business lounge, access to communal meeting rooms and breakout areas, and communal external space for occupiers. The building has been designed to support flexible working, collaboration and rapid occupation, reducing both cost and time for incoming tenants. The property occupies a highly accessible city centre location, just a one-minute walk from Manchester Victoria station and close to the Northern Quarter, NOMA and the city’s core retail and leisure destinations. Matt Shufflebottom, Director, CBRE’s Office team in Manchester commented: “This deal underlines the continued demand for high-quality, fully fitted workspace in Manchester city centre. One Balloon Street offers a compelling mix of cost-effective workspace, shared amenities and transport connectivity. The Co-operative Bank’s expansion is a strong endorsement of the building and its long-term appeal. We’re looking forward to bringing the fitted and furnished 3rd floor to market, which at 15,000 sq ft, will be a unique offering to the market” OBI are joint leasing agents and Cushman & Wakefield acted for The Co-operative Bank in the deal. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals