PLACES
Shaping my city.
London.
Partner Clive Williamson shares some of the unique developments our London office teams have delivered across the city.
LET'S TALK
HOARE LEA & LONDON
Our London office opened more than 30 years ago, providing us with a hub from which to grow our work in the capital. As the largest office within our firm, it’s a hive of activity, made up of more than 200 people spanning our specialist services who are passionate about projects that shape London for the better.
West.
Opportunity calls.
The West London boroughs boast a combined £73 billion economy, making it the UK’s second largest powerhouse after central London. This sub-region has immense potential. It’s been wonderful to play a key part in a variety of projects for Imperial College London at its major new 23-acre campus. Strategically located in the heart of White City, the campus is helping to transform the site, which is one of London’s most exciting, dynamic, and rapidly growing neighbourhoods.
We’ve also been privileged to work on a development that’s the first of its kind in London... 245 Hammersmith Road is a unique new office and retail site that features garden, bars, and restaurants. Notably, it was the first scheme to use its positive Social Value Impact in discussions with the local council. We were also able to meet our target of achieving 25 percent improvements on Part L energy targets and BREEAM Excellent.
In keeping with these sustainable ambitions, one of the key challenges we were presented with during the Heathrow Terminal 2A project was to ensure 20 percent of the predicted carbon emissions were generated from onsite renewable energy. As well as meeting this target, our negotiated energy strategy allows for upgrading to innovative new technologies as they become available, ensuring this vital international hub is as flexible as possible!
Central.
A hub with heart.
The centre of the city has always presented us with stimulating projects and continues to do so. London being a global hub for companies means many of the buildings we work on are world-class offices. Deloitte’s HQ, 1 New Street Square, is certainly one of our proudest. After becoming the first workplace fit-out in the world to achieve both BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Certified Gold, it’s gathered an enormous amount of awards in acknowledgment of its pioneering human-centred design.
In the shadows of The Old Bailey, we had the chance to fit out a 12,000-square-foot space for global investment management firm, Barings LLC. We worked to make it an energy-efficient building that gives the business the ability to migrate to an agile working environment over the coming years.
A special recent office project has been the Old Admiralty Building. At one time the headquarters of the British navy, we helped refurbish this Grade II listed site into a future-proofed office facility for UK government departments.
But it’s not all workplaces in this part of London… the Floral Court and Carriage Hall project created 48 high-quality residential apartments located above a completely new retail area in the heart of Covent Garden. A big success was the site-wide energy strategy we developed for the scheme, which was approved by the planning authority without condition and now serves the buildings seamlessly.
North.
Total transformation.
North of the river has arguably seen some of the most wholesale change in the last few decades, none more so than where our own offices are located in King’s Cross. It’s been incredible to not only watch the area be regenerated in a stylish and socially conscious way, but to have played a vital part in making it possible. Gasholders is an engineering triumph: premium apartments and retail spaces sat in three Grade I listed gas cylinder frames… and Coal Drops Yard is a stunning clash of art, culture, and commerce; what a brilliant place to have on our doorstep. It’s clear why Google has chosen to locate its London HQ here.
Meanwhile, the Ferry Lane development is one of the first private rental sector developments for Legal & General, turning a rundown industrial estate into a vibrant new community.
Towards Camden way, we’re involved in the unique Village Lock redevelopment that will create 170 homes, a new market retail destination, and incubator start-up offices. It’s a highly sustainable scheme that will be integrated into the existing community in phases as the project progresses.
South.
Sky high.
The Southbank is seeing some of the most striking buildings shooting up. With its 49-storey tower, One Blackfriars is impossible to miss. It’s a special project for our firm as the hotel element was our 100th BREEAM Excellent scheme. Nearby, Southbank Tower and Southbank Place are future additions. The former is a transformation of the 1970s Kings Reach Tower into a flexible new workspace, while the latter is seven new buildings of affordable, assisted, and luxury apartments, office and retail.
There are also a number of our pipeline design projects dotted throughout this area: Lavington Street is a vast low-carbon development centred around public space, flexible workplaces, and healthy living, while 71 Victoria Street will be turned from office building to hotel.
Build-to-Rent schemes are also flourishing all over the city and we’re helping Legal & General deliver its biggest one so far in Wandsworth. Exciting times.
East.
Emerging era.
If there’s one thing East London isn’t fazed by, it’s change. Successive centuries and even decades have ushered in new eras, cultures, and commercial opportunities. The Olympic Games was a turning point for this part of the city and the International Quarter London (IQL) in Stratford City is an important part of the Games’ legacy. Our work on the scheme involved collaboration with the world-renowned Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners architects to create prime office space with high sustainability standards.
The nearby Isle of Dogs is an emerging area and its Crossharbour development project is set to create a vibrant new district. Designed to support the community, it will feature more than 1,600 apartments, central superstore, early-years school, retail units, and some great community facilities.
Over the water in Canary Wharf, one of the most remarkable additions will soon be a towering 60-storey skyscraper. A residential-led development, it will provide a stunning focal point for the 97-acre estate that’s fast becoming one of the most exciting areas of London.