One Westminster Place London : Information

SOUTHBANK SET TO SHINE AS WESTMINSTER PLACE GETS PLANNING 11 Jul 2008 Images : Team Macarie Sheppard Robson, on behalf of Delancey, has received planning consent to redevelop York House into a glistening crystallised 18 storey office building on the Southbank of the River Thames. The 345,000 sq ft steel and glass structure will bring a new landmark feature to Central London; highly visible from Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge, acting as a gateway to the Southbank. The development will comprise basement, lower ground, ground, and fifteen upper floors with fully flexible floor plates of approximately 23,000 sq ft and an internal atria. The preeminent feature of the design is a 10,000 sq ft roof terrace offering panoramic views of the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. The central London location, large floor plates and innovative design is designed to attract attention from leading media organisations - potential tenants who could draw upon the inspirational surroundings to enhance their creative output. The fully glazed façade is divided into two skins which create an environmental buffer between the inside and the outside, whilst also reflecting and refracting light. The outer skin is a deformed grid that pulls against diagonal fins to create a series of small pyramids contributing to the jewel concept. This gives crystalline reflections and animates the façade as the sun moves around it. Dichroic glass fins add changing colour to the building façade throughout the day. The energy efficient double skin glass facade building will conform to the latest standards of sustainability. It will also incorporate renewable energy sources helping to minimise energy consumption through the use of proven technologies both in construction and operational performance and is specified to achieve an excellent BREEAM rating. The three storey high entrance to the building provides a visual connection to the base of a full height atrium. To minimise the mass and impact of the central elements the lifts have been broken free of the core and are supported by a freestanding structural tree that provides connectivity from top to base. David Ardill, Sheppard Robson’s design director on the project, is looking forward to realising his architectural ambitions for Westminster Place – “We are delighted to receive planning consent and the opportunity to bring a landmark building to the skyline of London’s iconic Southbank. Sheppard Robson recognised the importance of a design that sits comfortably in the context of its surroundings, yet has the charisma and visual presence to justify its development in such a prominent area of Central London.”