HBD, part of Henry Boot, has secured planning approval for Colloco, a 200,000 sq ft office development, in the St John’s District of Manchester city centre. The developer is seeking a joint venture partner now to deliver the highly sustainable Grade A office scheme. Situated on the corner of New
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq.
DLA Piper has signed up to take the top two floors of Elshaw House, Sheffield City Council’s new zero carbon-ready office building. DLA Piper’s move into Elshaw House will see one of the world’s largest law firms, and a key employer in the city, maintain its presence in Sheffield City
International architectural and interior design practice, CPMG, has announced the official opening of a new London studio, in the heart of the city’s design district. Seven years after first establishing a base in the capital, CPMG has taken residence in its new office located next to Exmouth Market on Roseberry
Railpen, manager of around £34 billion of assets on behalf of the railways pension schemes, has named Skanska and Morgan Sindall as main contractors for the first two of its major developments in Cambridge, Botanic Place, a 540,000 sq ft sustainable office scheme, and Devonshire Gardens, a 120,000 sq ft
Specialist UK Development Manager, Bankfoot APAM, has appointed Beard Construction as the Main Contractor for the transformative £24.5M redevelopment of Bristol’s One Friary building. This flagship project is being delivered on behalf of Britannia Invest A/S and is set to commence in April 2024. Once complete, it will provide 80,000
CBRE has announced its new headquarters in Glasgow has achieved one of the UK’s highest sustainability ratings. The global real estate advisor’s offices at 177 Bothwell Street have been awarded a coveted BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating from the Building Research Establishment (BRE), placing it in the top 10% of fit-out projects
One of the world’s global engineering consultancies is moving into its new ‘home for big ideas’ in central London, after a 12-month transformation into a model of excellence showcasing its multi-disciplinary and sustainability capabilities to clients from across the world. Growing from 510 employees in 2019 to 720 in 2024,
Global engineering consultancy Arup has officially opened its new Midlands base – one of its five largest global hubs – at Paradise Birmingham’s One Centenary Way, welcoming clients and contacts to mark the occasion. Arup was a major contractor to Birmingham City Council supporting it to deliver the Birmingham 2022
Barwood Capital (“Barwood”) has celebrated the topping out of Explore, its new Grade-A office building in Richmond. The scheme will provide best-in-class office space with leading ESG credentials to the South East market. Formerly known as Eton House, the building was acquired by Barwood’s Regional Property Growth Fund IV in
HBD, part of Henry Boot, has secured planning approval for Colloco, a 200,000 sq ft office development, in the St John’s District of Manchester city centre. The developer is seeking a joint venture partner now to deliver the highly sustainable Grade A office scheme. Situated on the corner of New Quay Street and Gartside Street and formerly the LTE Group’s Manchester College, Colloco will comprise 16 storeys of high-quality flexible accommodation. It will include communal spaces at ground floor level with a concierge reception, a roof pavilion with breakout and events space, and access to a landscaped garden terrace with views across the city. Each suite will also have a private external terrace. Designed by EPR Architects, with Asteer Planning acting as planning consultants, Colloco has been designed with sustainability at its core; the scheme will be built to Net Zero Carbon in construction and operation and is targeting EPC A and BREEAM Excellent ratings. It will also comply with British Council for Offices standards and include a host of amenities aligned with the WELL building standards. Sitting between St John’s and Spinningfields the area around Colloco is a vibrant hub for businesses in the media, technology, and creative sectors. In 2023, the district saw the opening of the new Aviva Studios, establishing its status as the epicentre of cultural and creative activity in the region. Securing planning and seeking a joint venture partner for Colloco comes a week after HBD and Greater Manchester Pension Fund topped out at Island, a 100,000 sq ft net zero carbon, smart-enabled Grade A office scheme on John Dalton Street in Manchester. Adam Brady, Executive Director at HBD commented: “Colloco represents a new era in workspace design. The building looks to attract dynamic, forward-thinking organisations, which see collaboration and the health and wellbeing of their employees as fundamental to the success of their business.” “We are pleased with the planning approval which recognises the value that a scheme such as Colloco will bring to the city. It will be one of the most sustainable new office buildings in the regional market at a time when high-profile businesses are looking to occupy space which will support their Net Zero Carbon commitments.” The project team includes Arcadis EPR Architects; Asteer Planning, Curtins, Hoare Lea and Ramboll. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq. ft. office complex, which is already 25% let, offers a host of new possibilities for businesses seeking top quality workspace and advanced facilities. Ewan Dodds of Whybrow, joint agent for Parkside with Carter Jonas, commented that the development was the largest speculative office building in the eastern region and features many unique qualities. “Parkside represents the pinnacle of modern architecture and business innovation, offering a range of flexible spaces to suit diverse business needs, from single suites from 2,000sq. ft to single floors of just under 11,0000sq. ft.” Ben Le Coq of Carter Jonas added: “The strategic location near major transport links like London Stansted Airport and major regional cities positions Parkside as an ideal hub for businesses targeting regional expansion from a high quality and energy efficient building.” James Wilson, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, the main contractor for the new building, said: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with the University of Essex to deliver this exciting flexible office development on its ever-growing campus. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the completed project will now have in supporting future business and wider economic growth in the county.” University Registrar Bryn Morris said: “This is a stunning landmark building which will provide a fantastic base for companies keen to move onto our Knowledge Gateway research and technology park and join our thriving business community. “The completion of the building also marks an exciting new era for the Knowledge Gateway. From this spring the ground floor will be home to our Public Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will deliver new services for the public in partnership with the NHS, drive forward our research agenda and offer fantastic new training opportunities.” The new office complex is not only equipped with premium amenities, including 24-hour CCTV, advanced air conditioning systems, passenger lifts, and showers, but it also proudly boasts a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A. BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is a leading global sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings. While an EPC is a document that rates the energy efficiency of a building on a scale of A to G, with A being the highest possible score. These ratings underscores Parkside’s commitment to environmental performance, making it an ideal choice for businesses invested in sustainability. In addition, Parkside offers an optional concierge service, on-site parking, and access to an outstanding-rated children’s nursery. It is also on the doorstep of the 18th century Wivenhoe House Hotel, which offers an ideal environment for business dining or accommodation. For further information about Parkside and the Knowledge Gateway, visit www.knowledge-gateway.co.uk For more on R G Carter, visit www.rgcarter-construction.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
DLA Piper has signed up to take the top two floors of Elshaw House, Sheffield City Council’s new zero carbon-ready office building. DLA Piper’s move into Elshaw House will see one of the world’s largest law firms, and a key employer in the city, maintain its presence in Sheffield City Centre. Fit out of the two-floors, as well as an adjoining private terrace on the top floor, will be completed in this spring. The space will span over 17,000 square feet in total. Having reached completion last month, Elshaw House is the flagship office development within Heart of the City – the £470m mixed-use development scheme led by Sheffield City Council and its Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry. Located on Carver Street, next to Pound’s Park, Elshaw House is the pinnacle of sustainability and will achieve a five-star BREEAM green energy rating, making it a key part of the Council’s green goals. Additionally, Elshaw House has also recently achieved an ‘excellent’ five-star NABERS UK rating due to its lean design, providing a structure with 40% lower than average carbon usage. This places it in the top 1% of office buildings in the UK for energy efficiency. Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:“We are thrilled that DLA Piper has signed a lease on Elshaw House. It is one of the world’s largest law firms. For such an established business to reaffirm its commitment to the city shows a real confidence in everything we’re doing to drive Sheffield forwards and continue growing our economy. “Elshaw House represents the very best in office space and is delivering new headline rents for Sheffield. Alongside the world class Pound’s Park, Grosvenor House – home to HSBC and CMS – and Europe’s largest food hall, we’re creating a truly transformational new city centre district.” Andrew Davison, Project Direct at Queensberry, added: “In our opinion, DLA Piper has secured the best office space in South Yorkshire, with unrivalled sustainability, location and employee wellbeing benefits. World class commercial spaces like this are helping to take Sheffield to the next level on the national stage. “Interest in the other floors in Elshaw House is incredibly high and the ground floor retail and F&B spaces are also attracting potential occupants.” Elshaw House has six ground floor units suitable for retail or food and drink venues, complementing the seven storeys of quality workspace above. Access to Elshaw House connects directly to the new urban park, Pound’s Park, and is integrated into Sheffield’s active travel strategy which focuses on ease and accessibility, with the building featuring bike storage, service centre and showers to help keep the city moving. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
International architectural and interior design practice, CPMG, has announced the official opening of a new London studio, in the heart of the city’s design district. Seven years after first establishing a base in the capital, CPMG has taken residence in its new office located next to Exmouth Market on Roseberry Avenue in Farringdon. The move has been completed to increase business resilience, encourage further growth and gain access to a wider pool of architects, technologists and designers. The move also represents CPMG’s progress in the South East as the business continues to grow in line with its strategy – based on delivering and winning more work in the region. Chris White, director and London office lead, said: “Opening our new office in London is something that the team and I are all extremely proud of. When we first set up in the region, the office was simply a business development hub, but now we’re welcoming clients to a design studio that truly represents who we are and what we’re capable of. “Over the past seven years, the foundations have been laid for an even more successful future and this latest step will only support our ever-increasing presence in London. Our repeat client percentage is nearly 80%, so we’re pleased to have a base which continues to offer us excellent access to all parts of the city – and our project sites too. Farringdon is an ideal place for us and the working environment we have created certainly matches all the perks London has to offer.” The CPMG team in the capital now boasts 10 members, including both senior specialists and graduates. The business’ pipeline of work includes commissions in several key sectors, including education, residential and commercial. Key projects currently underway include schools for the Department for Education, adult social living and care homes, and the reconfiguration and extension of offices. Richard Flisher, managing director at CPMG, said: “The London team’s talent and hard work has enabled us to grow our reputation both in the city and nationwide and with additional work comes the need to expand the London studio. We plan to continue growing sustainably ensuring the team structure is where it needs to be for everyone to flourish. The way we see it, growth isn’t just about numbers, it’s about having the right people: the employees need to be right for CPMG, but even more importantly, CPMG need to be right for them for the business to thrive.” CPMG now has 60 staff across its offices in Nottingham, London, Birmingham and Hangzhou, China. For more than 30 years, the practice has been creating award-winning spaces that prioritise human needs, support growing communities, and embrace sustainability and innovation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Railpen, manager of around £34 billion of assets on behalf of the railways pension schemes, has named Skanska and Morgan Sindall as main contractors for the first two of its major developments in Cambridge, Botanic Place, a 540,000 sq ft sustainable office scheme, and Devonshire Gardens, a 120,000 sq ft mixed-use development. Both projects are being developed by Socius on behalf of Railpen. Skanska, one of the UK’s leading contractors, has secured the £200 million contract to build Botanic Place, which is set to be the most sustainable speculative office scheme outside of London. Architect AHMM has designed the buildings to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, WELL and Wired Scored ‘Platinum’ ratings. The workspaces will prioritise energy efficiency to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while using 70% less energy than traditional office buildings, and will be powered using renewable energy sources. Inspired by the nearby Cambridge University Botanic Garden, which can be viewed from the offices, the buildings’ quality and specification will be market defining. The project will also involve preserving the historic public house, The Flying Pig, which is located on the development site, and the creation of 15,000 sq ft of internal amenities, events, and F&B space, alongside 40,000 sq ft of terraces on multiple levels for both private and communal uses. Elsewhere in Cambridge, Railpen has also appointed Morgan Sindall, the British construction and regeneration group, to construct Devonshire Gardens, in a £77 million contract. Devonshire Gardens will comprise a new community connected by a landscaped park, supporting Railpen’s vision to create a majority car-free neighbourhood. Located in the heart of Mill Road, Morgan Sindall will deliver up to 150,000 sq ft of commercial space, 70 apartments, 8,500 sq ft of F&B space, and 1.55 acres of public open spaces. Richard Van Lente, Senior Asset and Development Manager at Railpen, said: “The appointment of both Skanska and Morgan Sindall marks a significant moment within our Cambridge portfolio as we work to deliver best-in-class assets and generate strong long-term returns for our members. We look forward to witnessing these projects come to fruition and continuing our long-lasting commitment to Cambridge with support from the council and key local stakeholders.” Doug Higgins, Development Director at Socius, also commented: “Botanic Place and Devonshire Gardens will be fantastic additions to the community of Cambridge, with Skanska and Morgan Sindall driving forward our shared vision with Railpen to deliver inspiring, sustainable and valuable assets for the city. With their expertise and proficiency, we are on track to provide a new benchmark for other developers and investors to follow, paving the way for an enhanced future within Cambridge and the wider area.” Morgan Sindall is set to begin works on Devonshire Gardens in April, and Skanska is due to start on-site at Botanic Place in July, with estimated completion dates of April 2026 and March 2027 respectively. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Specialist UK Development Manager, Bankfoot APAM, has appointed Beard Construction as the Main Contractor for the transformative £24.5M redevelopment of Bristol’s One Friary building. This flagship project is being delivered on behalf of Britannia Invest A/S and is set to commence in April 2024. Once complete, it will provide 80,000 sq. ft. of best-in-class office accommodation in the heart of Temple Quay. One Friary, a well-established office building situated opposite Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station, will undergo a comprehensive redevelopment, adding three new floors on top of the existing structure and introducing a new high-performance GRC façade. Beard Construction, who are a leading regional contractor, have been appointed as Main Contractor to deliver the project. Chris Moore, Managing Director of Bankfoot APAM, emphasised the company’s commitment to modern, flexible and sustainable workspace, stating, “One Friary is a prime example of our dedication to delivering sustainable workplaces, with One Friary in Bristol being one of a number of highly sustainable development schemes being delivered across the UK. We are hugely excited about the project and we believe it will be one of the best buildings to work in Bristol once finished.” Matt Cooper, Beard’s Bristol Director, said “This exciting flagship project puts sustainability front and centre – the carbon savings through the reuse of the building’s existing structural frame will be significant. Drawing upon our extensive track record in sustainable redevelopment and our modern construction management skills, we are perfectly placed to deliver this project with Bankfoot APAM.” The redevelopment focuses on maximising sustainability by reusing 99.5 per cent of One Friary’s existing structural frame, supporting Bankfoot APAM’s ethos of delivering sustainable, forward-thinking real estate solutions for the next generation of working environments. Patrick Vincent, Senior Development Manager for Bankfoot APAM, outlined their methodology, “We aim to reuse as much of these existing buildings as allows, future-proofing the underlying asset while aligning them to a forward-facing investment strategy. This work happens at every stage of the project and is a key factor when it comes to creating long-term successful outcomes. Once redeveloped, One Friary will offer grade-A office space and premium amenities, including a roof terrace and high-quality end-of-journey facilities.” The project is set to achieve BREEAM Excellence, as well as NABERS and WELL certification evidencing Bankfoot APAM’s commitment to creating environmentally conscious and occupant-friendly spaces. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CBRE has announced its new headquarters in Glasgow has achieved one of the UK’s highest sustainability ratings. The global real estate advisor’s offices at 177 Bothwell Street have been awarded a coveted BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating from the Building Research Establishment (BRE), placing it in the top 10% of fit-out projects in the UK. CBRE relocated more than 400 employees to the landmark development in January last year as part of a consolidation plan to merge three offices into one and enhance collaboration. The agency occupies the building’s ground floor extending to 18,000 sq ft. 177 Bothwell Street’s existing green credentials were a key factor in CBRE selecting it for its West of Scotland hub. It utilises 100% green power from a local source, supporting the advisor’s commitments to reduce carbon emissions. The building also features impressive wellness amenities such as a rooftop running track, seating areas and spa-quality changing facilities. David Smith, Managing Director of CBRE Scotland, said: “This fantastic excellent rating was achieved thanks to the collaboration of an in-house CBRE team which included Designers, MEP, Project Management and BREEAM Assessors. “Unusually, no comments or suggested actions for improvement were raised by BRE on the BREEAM documentation, which is a real testament to the hard work our team put into this.” Smith added: “It is important that we are able to demonstrate to our clients that a commitment to reducing the impact office buildings have on the environment should always be at the core of any real estate decision-making process.” The BREEAM excellent rating for 177 Bothwell Street falls within CBRE’s ESG commitments, with over half the buildings occupied in the UK now holding a green certification. Giulia Mori, Health and Wellbeing Lead, ESG Consultancy, CBRE UK added: “The achievement of the BREEAM standard for 177 Bothwell Street is another major milestone towards CBRE’s ESG commitments, and it demonstrates best practice since this office is only one of seven projects achieving BREEAM Excellent in Scotland. “The smooth achievement of the certification for this project is testament to the amazing team who participated in the process and the accuracy of the evidence provided.” BREEAM is the most widely used sustainability certification in the UK. Its requirements measure the environmental performance of a building under construction or undergoing refurbishment by assessing factors such as materials, waste, energy and water. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the world’s global engineering consultancies is moving into its new ‘home for big ideas’ in central London, after a 12-month transformation into a model of excellence showcasing its multi-disciplinary and sustainability capabilities to clients from across the world. Growing from 510 employees in 2019 to 720 in 2024, the new office re-location is a reflection of this growth. Buro Happold’s London-based employees will work across 31,000 square feet and four floors of cutting-edge office space of the Featherstone Building on City Road, EC1. Buro Happold met the challenge of maintaining the building’s already impressive BREEAM Outstanding rating with its fit-out. The base build office also achieves both LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum, Wired Score Platinum and with the fit out an additional Well Building Standard Platinum status for achieving exemplary environmental, sustainability, efficiency and health & wellbeing criteria is being delivered. To meet its own exacting needs, Buro Happold worked closely with global architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler to shape and design its workspaces, after listening to the views and ideas of its staff including through Town Hall sessions and sustainability and workplace focused working groups. Inclusive design and wellbeing are central to the new space, with a variety of quieter spaces, and busier spaces for collaboration, parent and multi-faith rooms, as well as a dedicated landscaped terrace area. Buro Happold led on sustainability, MEP, acoustics, lighting and inclusive design, as well as the inclusion of a structurally engineered set-piece timber staircase connecting floors five and six. Q Flow software was used to track the sustainable origin of all materials throughout the design process and underpin the high level of certification needed to meet the standards. Smart building technology has been installed to monitor heating and lighting performance in real-time as well as workspace utilisation, helping optimise building performance, wellbeing and productivity. To harmonise all of these innovative new elements, an easy-to-use smart-phone app has been created to access the building, book workspace and meeting rooms, and to provide staff with improved user experience and real-time updates. Justin Phillips, London Office Director, said: “We wanted to create a workplace that embodied the excellence of our staff within it. Collaboration was essential to this process, and we engaged with our staff early-on to understand what was really important to them. “Our mix of needs is very different as we continue to evolve from traditional engineers to multi-disciplinary experts and advisors, and the design of this office reflects that. “We’re proud of our new London home we’ve created. It’s not only a great place to be, but it also aligns with our ambitious sustainability goals and those of many of our clients across the world. I’m really excited about the potential of what we imagine and create here with our clients and collaborators in the transformative years ahead.” Becky Spenceley, Design Director, Gensler said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Buro Happold to design their new London headquarters. At Gensler, we strive to implement circular and resilient design solutions, setting new standards for an eco-friendly built environment. “Our design at the Featherstone Building has established an innovative and sustainable workplace design focused around honest materiality, celebrating structure and re-use furniture. It is a reflection of Buro Happold’s brand and values, and showcases an exciting variety of work and social spaces for employees and clients.” Choice of materials, features and design was also essential to ensuring the new office was as inclusive as possible. Drawing on expertise from within, Justin sought expertise from its Senior Inclusive Design Consultant Jean Hewitt on designing its spaces for inclusivity and neurodiversity. Jean is one of the leading practitioners in the field of inclusive design and is the UK Government’s Disability and Access Ambassador focusing on the built environment. Buro Happold works for a diverse range of private and public sector clients across multiple areas and is proud to have delivered many of London’s landmarks including Battersea Power Station, O2 Arena (Millennium Dome), The Michael Uren Biomedical Building, 5 Broadgate, Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Stratford Waterfront. The Featherstone Building is a short distance from Old Street and Liverpool St underground stations and opposite the iconic White Collar Factory campus. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Global engineering consultancy Arup has officially opened its new Midlands base – one of its five largest global hubs – at Paradise Birmingham’s One Centenary Way, welcoming clients and contacts to mark the occasion. Arup was a major contractor to Birmingham City Council supporting it to deliver the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, helping to deliver the Alexander Stadium, transport and infrastructure improvements city wide, as well as the Perry Barr masterplan, and the Sandwell Aquatics Centre. Establishing a national and international centre of excellence for Arup in the Midlands, with nearly 800 staff and offering more than 90 specialist services UK-wide, the multi-million-pound investment cements Arup’s commitment to Birmingham and the region as a global business destination. Last year, the local Arup team worked on hundreds of projects locally and globally, supporting the delivery of more sustainable buildings, infrastructure, public spaces, and communities, and bringing the best of global expertise to the area. Arup’s move to the city centre is designed to attract local talent and aid the growth of the West Midlands as an innovation and skills hub. The new office location will bring Arup closer to schools, colleges and universities, ensuring stronger links to education and more opportunity to attract, grow and retain diverse industry talent locally. Based in the heart of the city, Arup’s public-facing activity hub on the ground floor, ‘The Gallery’, will be a space Arup staff are able to work alongside local partners and neighbours to deliver community based, and charitable activities. Speaking at the launch event, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Arup’s move back into the heart of Birmingham city centre is a tremendous endorsement of all that our region has to offer a global player of Arup’s stature. “This kind of major investment is just the type we envisaged when we worked on the Enterprise Zone more than a decade ago – bringing to life our vision of a new city business district generating jobs for local people. “I know that this announcement will help equip young people from a wide variety of backgrounds with the skills, apprenticeships and opportunities they need to succeed. I cannot wait to see lives changed for the better in the months and years ahead. My thanks to Arup for helping to make that possible.” Understanding that the future office needs to compete with highly personalised home working arrangements, a variety of workplace settings, social areas, wellbeing areas, creative spaces and focus zones have been provided in the new Arup Midlands HQ. The new range of flexible workspaces is designed specifically to support collaboration, convening stakeholders and hosting events. Cem Budak, Arup Midlands Leader, said: “We are excited to officially open our new Midlands hub located in the heart of Birmingham, the UK’s second city. We are eager to build on six decades of expertise in Midlands and the opening of the new office will bring us closer to key decision-makers, clients and collaborators, helping to foster innovation and creativity across the region. “We helped to shape and design the space at One Centenary Way, which is undoubtedly one the finest commercial locations in the city. It is a space that our people already love working in and which helps them to engage with our clients and communities while exporting Birmingham skills and expertise around the world.” The new office plays a significant role in Arup’s ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2030. Arup worked closely with developer MEPC on One Centenary Way, which is the first building within the Paradise estate with all-electric heating and hot water systems, as well as SMART technology that enables continuous office adaptations around utilisation, comfort, and energy consumption. James Watts, Arup Birmingham Office Leader, said: “We are very proud that our new office is a showcase for our commitment to delivering sustainable solutions and our net zero carbon aspirations. We anticipate that our move will reduce travel emissions by over 60% and we will save over 1,100 tonnes of CO2 a year from our own staff commutes. Initiatives such as biophilic design, natural sheep wool wall insulation and a recycled material pallet will put our circular economy values into action while increasing staff connectivity with nature. “In addition, the office also ensures our knowledge and global expertise are easily accessible to local clients and collaborators, allowing us to continue to provide innovative solutions and long-lasting value.” Arup’s work in the Birmingham region for the last 60 years has helped shape the local landscape including major public buildings and developments from the NEC and ICC to commercial office buildings and new public realm like that created at Brindley place and Paradise in Birmingham. Arup’s major role in delivering the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and supporting infrastructure in and around Birmingham helped secure a meaningful legacy for the Games in the Midlands. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barwood Capital (“Barwood”) has celebrated the topping out of Explore, its new Grade-A office building in Richmond. The scheme will provide best-in-class office space with leading ESG credentials to the South East market. Formerly known as Eton House, the building was acquired by Barwood’s Regional Property Growth Fund IV in December 2021 with the aim of repositioning it to prime sustainable office space. The project has involved a full back-to-frame refurbishment, including an additional floor of accommodation and a roof terrace as well as extensive common areas, garden and amenity space. Delivering much-needed high quality office accommodation, Explore offers 45,000 sq ft of space and is targeting BREEAM Excellent, Net Zero in operation and an EPC A rating. Measures to support energy efficiency and biodiversity include enhancing greening and planting opportunities in both the common areas and private spaces plus electric vehicle charging points. The redesign also focuses on measures to support employee health and wellbeing, with amenities including 42 cycle parking spaces, communal lounge, a gym plus changing rooms and showers. The scheme has secured WiredScore Gold and is targeting Fitwell accreditation. The refurbishment has been carried out by RED Construction Group, with Moorevale the development manager for the scheme. A ceremony was held on 10th January, where members of the team gathered to celebrate the building’s topping out. Adam Smith, Asset Management Director at Barwood Capital, said: “Demand for high quality, sustainable and amenity focused office space remains strong in Richmond, where there’s a shortage of Grade-A accommodation. With sustainability and wellbeing at the forefront of the design, Explore delivers a best-in-class option that meets the priorities of businesses today.” Mark Iori, Managing Director at RED Construction London, commented: “We are incredibly proud of the role we have played in completely reimagining this scheme from inside-out, creating a high-calibre, future-proofed office product in Richmond. The elements of this milestone scheme called on many of RED Construction Group’s technical specialities and capabilities, and we have enjoyed working alongside such a skilled team for Barwood Capital’s multi-million-pound development. Explore now serves as another example of RED’s experience remodelling existing sites as prime sustainable office space, evolving the workplace with employee mental health and wellbeing at its core.” Charlie Bishop, Director at Moorevale, added: “As well as its excellent residential provision and good local schools, Richmond enjoys a thriving food and drink scene and has much to offer for businesses and their employees. Quick access to the centre of London via train, plus close reach to the M4, M3 and beyond, further adds to the town’s appeal and we’re expecting strong demand for space at Explore Richmond.” Andrew Willcock and Oliva Jones of Savills are acting as joint agents alongside Chris Bulmer and Clare Lane of Bray Fox Smith. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
