A landmark office development in Newcastle’s historic Stephenson Quarter has been renamed One Founders Place, as it seeks a pre-let partner for its cutting-edge, £137 million regeneration project. The 100,000 sq. ft office space, spread across 10 storeys, is designed to blend sustainability with the city’s rich industrial heritage, making it an ideal location for forward-thinking businesses. One Founders Place is the vision of RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and is set to be a climate-positive building. The project is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and Building with Nature certification, ensuring it meets the highest standards for sustainability, while honouring its location’s legacy as the birthplace of George and Robert Stephenson’s locomotive factory, established in 1823. This ambitious rebrand comes on the heels of new research from Historic England, which highlights the economic benefits of integrating cultural heritage with modern development. Studies show that areas steeped in history enjoy stronger economic performance, with GDP growth linked to such heritage-led projects. One Founders Place is a prime example of how a development can harmonise the past with the future, combining industrial legacy with eco-conscious design. The building promises to deliver exceptional workspace, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light to flood the offices, and outdoor terraces offering panoramic views of the city. State-of-the-art, all-electric heating and cooling systems, along with on-site renewable energy solutions and passive solar shading, will support the building’s sustainability goals. Designed to Well Building Standards, the office prioritises both the wellbeing of its occupiers and environmental impact. Developed by igloo Regeneration and Thriving Investments in partnership with Newcastle City Council, One Founders Place is the centrepiece of the wider £137 million Stephenson Quarter regeneration. Joe Broadley of igloo Regeneration commented: “One Founders Place sits on a historic site with deep industrial roots. Our aim was to honour the Stephenson legacy while incorporating the latest in technology and sustainability.” Alex Hay from Newcastle City Council hailed the development as a key driver of the city’s future, contributing to the growth of a green economy that respects Newcastle’s proud heritage. Knight Frank, the agents tasked with securing a pre-let partner, described the development as a unique opportunity for businesses that value sustainability, employee wellbeing, and a distinctive workspace. Located in the lively Stephenson Quarter, One Founders Place boasts excellent transport links via the Tyne and Wear Metro and is surrounded by popular hospitality spots like the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Gin Bar, and The Arches Beer Street Micropub. Its close proximity to Newcastle’s cultural and retail hubs adds to its appeal for businesses seeking a prestigious and accessible location. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Construction firm Legendre UK has been appointed by developer W.RE and joint venture partner Taurus UK to lead the development of a new 46,000 sq ft high-quality office scheme at 14-16 Peterborough Road in London’s Parsons Green following a single-stage tender. Designed by TateHindle architects, the proposed sustainable commercial office development will feature six floors of flexible office and amenity space, spanning from the basement to the fourth floor. The building will include accessible roof terraces on the third and fourth floors, with planting across levels two to four. Fitted out to CAT A specification, the new building will emphasise sustainability with a robust, independent energy strategy, including air source heat pumps, PV panels, and abundant natural light. The site will be delivered in line with W.RE’s commitment to sustainability through design, ensuring that the building is built to last and equipped to meet future demands. These high sustainability criteria are aligned with the growing tenant demand for high-quality office spaces. The project will involve the demolition of the existing office block on site, with the new development retaining the existing party walls and targeting BREEAM Excellent. Situated in the heart of Parsons Green, the building offers Southwest London residents high-quality, well-connected office space, catering to the growing demand for workspaces within walking distance of home and local amenities. The site is in a prime location, with easy access to New King’s Road and Parsons Green, including green spaces, leisure and retail facilities, and transport links to Central London. Legendre UK will act as the main contractor on the scheme and will also be a co-investor with works starting on site in August this year. Completion is scheduled for Q3 2026. Andrew Haines, COO of W.RE, said: “This investment will transform a prominent site in Parsons Green, providing much-needed high-quality office space in a sought-after Southwest London location. Partnering with Legendre UK we will deliver a best-in-class, sustainable building that meets the growing demand for workspace outside of central London’s historic core.” Nick Jacobs, Managing Director of Taurus UK, said: “We are really pleased to be committing our investment to great partners to create a relevant and much-needed development.” Thomas Vandecasteele, Managing Director at Legendre UK, said: “This appointment builds on Legendre UK’s expertise in delivering complex commercial schemes across London, continuing to strengthen our co-investment strategy alongside key and trusted partners, which we started in 2021 on Dockley Road and continued in 2022 on Sheepcote Road. Acting as both contractor and co-investor demonstrates the added value that Legendre UK can bring.” Tanguy Guerer, Head of Pre-Construction at Legendre UK, said: “We are delighted at the opportunity to work with W.RE, following a competitive single stage tender. Our proposed value engineering included in our tender were well received by W.RE, allowing us to maximise cost efficiency on the project whilst still ensuring a high-quality outcome.” Elliott Wood has been appointed as the Structural Engineer, Exigere as the Quantity Surveyor and B&CO as the Project Manager. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The Oxford Trust has submitted plans to Oxford City Council for its new Aspen Building to be built at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford, to provide additional laboratory and office grow-on space for science and tech start-ups. The Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation, named after the Trust’s late founder Sir Martin Wood’s favourite tree, has been designed in response to the increased demand for grow-on laboratory space in Oxford, particularly within the globally significant Headington Science Cluster. It will enable the Trust to further its mission and support for scientific research, discovery and education. It will total 12,926 sq ft (1,200 sq m) over two floors to provide flexible CL II laboratory and office space. The building will also include a new STEM resources and preparation room that will allow the Trust to support the increase in demand for its outreach delivery to schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire as well as local communities and further the impact of its Science Oxford education programme. The building will target BREEAM Excellent and include photovoltaic roof panels, a green wall, cycle parking, shower and locker facilities and a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain to enhance its surrounding 15-acres of woodlands, ponds and grassland. Harvesting and storing rainwater will provide grey water for toilets and, separately, additional flow for the ponds. The Aspen Building has been sensitively and sustainably designed and carefully positioned in the site on the existing car park to fit into its surroundings by a leading group of local architects, landscape designers, ecologists, project managers and planning consultants. The design will mirror and complement the existing buildings and will be landscaped to enhance the site. Car parking will remain at the same level and, to continue the encouragement of sustainable travel, additional rapid electric vehicle charging bays will help the adoption of this technology. The Wood Centre for Innovation, which was opened in 2019 and is also the Trust’s HQ, totals 14,961 sq ft (1,390 sq m) of CL II laboratory and workspace across two floors and is home to pioneering science and technology companies, Barclays Eagle Lab incubator and Oxford Hospital Charity which together employ 191 people. Companies include: DJS Antibodies, PicturaBio, Helio Display Materials, RedShiftBio, Jack Fertility, Samsara Therapeutics, Lumai and Spintex. The Wood Centre for Innovation adjoins the Trust’s Science Oxford Centre, which is the first indoor-outdoor hands-on science education centre for primary-aged children in the UK. Since opening the Centre five years ago, Science Oxford has run more than 600 term time school visits and 240 Family Days on Saturdays. Under the Trust’s charitable business model, the funds generated from leasing the laboratory and office space will be reinvested in its innovation and STEM education and engagement programmes. Steve Burgess, chief executive officer, The Oxford Trust said: “All our Wood Centre for Innovation companies are pushing the boundaries of research and development with breakthroughs in biotech and deep tech, driving positive change. “This multi-million pound investment funded by the Trust underlines our commitment to the Headington Science Cluster. The Aspen Building will mean we can continue expanding our support of science and tech start-ups by providing high-quality R&D lab and office space for grow-on companies to further scientific research and discovery, create local jobs, and contribute to Oxfordshire’s impressive wider innovation ecosystem. “The Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation will also allow the Trust to further expand the impact of its Science Oxford education programme with a new resources and preparation room to support the growing demand for outreach delivery in local schools and communities. We hope to inspire even more young people about the wonders of STEM.” Glen Moses, architect and project director, ADP Architecture added: “Our brief was to design a new carbon-efficient building with flexible laboratory and workspace to both enhance the Wood Centre for Innovation site and sit beautifully within its surroundings. We have worked hard with the consultancy team and carried out public consultation with the Trust to ensure that the Aspen Building is low impact while helping to boost life-enhancing discovery. It has been a pleasure to have the opportunity to build on the success of the Science Oxford Centre and the Wood Centre for Innovation and to assist The Oxford Trust in continuing is mission on its important and sensitive site in Headington.” The project team includes ADP Architecture, Carter Jonas, BSG Ecology, Landshape, Glanville, Gleeds, Sylva Trees and CPW. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Developer Delancey has secured planning permission for a landmark commercial building at the King’s Cross Knowledge Quarter in London. The 200,000 sq ft life sciences and technology-focused building will be constructed on a brownfield site on York Way. Delancey aims to start construction next year, with completion expected in 2028. The project is anticipated to cost around £170m and will employ an average of 300 workers annually during the 31-month demolition and construction programme. Demolition contractor JF Hunt has been advising Delancey on the demolition phase. Structural engineer Arup and architect Kohn Pedersen Fox have developed an innovative structural design to accommodate the building over three Network Rail tunnels and two Piccadilly Line tunnels, situated as close as 4.5 metres below the surface. The structural strategy, created with Arup, utilises a deck-stiffened arch inspired by 20th-century bridges designed by Swiss civil engineer Robert Maillart. This design employs long-span arches to distribute the building’s load over the underground railway lines. The 176-178 York Way building will feature 130,000 sq ft of research and laboratory space, 13,000 sq ft of affordable workspace, and a mixed-use flexible community and events space. The massing of the nine-storey building is stepped back in sequence to reduce the perceived scale at street level. Passive and active strategies have been implemented to reduce the building’s whole life carbon footprint. These include an all-electric MEP strategy, roof-mounted PV panels, and optimised external shading to reduce operational energy. Careful material selection and structural efficiencies have been employed to reduce embodied carbon, with the development targeting NABERS 4.5+ Stars. Nathan Watt, Development Director at Delancey, said: “We are delighted to have secured unanimous planning approval for this progressive, innovatively designed development that offers cutting-edge sustainable facilities. The project will deliver significant public realm improvements and provide much-needed office, science, and technology workspace.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Skanska has signed a contract with Baola Properties Limited, c/o Old Park Lane Management, for construction and mechanical and electrical engineering services for the redevelopment of 7 Millbank in London, UK. The contract is worth GBP 105M, about SEK 1.4 billion, which will be included in the order bookings for Europe for the third quarter of 2024. Skanska will lead the construction of a new nine-storey office building with two basement levels. The design and build of approximately 12,100 square meter flexible workspace will include reconstruction of the original historic façade, which has been carefully deconstructed and stored before being rebuilt into the new structure to maintain and enhance the building’s historic character. The building is targeting environmental standards to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and Design for Performance to secure a Nabers 5* accreditation. Construction will begin in July 2024 and is expected to be completed in January 2027. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals