GTH/Architects were appointed to the 1-3 Royal Exchange Buildings project in 2021 and over the course of the retrofit have comprehensively renovated and successfully repositioned the building for the post pandemic letting market.
The project for DTZ Investors is in the centre of the City close to the prominent Bank of England intersection. The site has a long history in the City of London and holds a Grade II listed status.
GTH were appointed to the scheme in part due to their knowledge of the site having refurbished the 1-3 Royal Exchange Buildings reception area previously to a very high finish.
A key amenity benefit of the site is the presence of luxury shopping including Hermes, Mont Blanc and Louis Vuitton at ground level. As agents advising on the development of the super prime location, bbg were really keen to see this level of quality reflected in the final design.
There was much interest from the whole project team for the site to be brought up to spec in regard to its overall sustainability. We are hoping the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating will be confirmed in January, covering aspects like reduced carbon emissions, social and environmental impacts, whole life performance and biodiversity of a project.
‘We are excited to bring this comprehensive refurbishment to the market with strong sustainability credentials. Its positioning on a vibrant pedestrian walkway in close proximity to the extensive amenities of The Royal Exchange provides a unique opportunity for potential occupiers.’
Sarah O’Brien, Director at DTZ Investors.
Could you describe your approach to the Royal Exchange Building project, maybe talking through some of your working materials?
We were asked to reimagine the space and engage with the building in a respectful and appropriate way given its listed status. At the same time, we had to make the design appeal to a market that could be difficult to define in that there is an idea but not a guarantee of the sector that would use the space. We looked to anticipate who would be interested and encourage an aspirational element and high quality to the design. We considered its use as broadly as possible with a light focus on the finance sector and all that includes from fintech to sector specific media.
Initially, we proposed a set of three look and feel options in order to provide range for the client but also to gain a better understanding of the brief. We decided to work from a slatted core style, using dark wood panelling in a contemporary formation. This was borrowed from the downstairs reception area – a previous GTH project.
It forms the backdrop and framing for the business that goes on inside rather than being a statement piece. The workplace is modern, airy and uses the building’s natural and existing attributes to the best effect. It doesn’t detract from the beauty of the surroundings or take away from the work that’s taking place.
The ceiling heights are a real feature which is quite exciting as opposed to it just being of practical use. Now that we have the heads of the windows visible, it has opened up views across the Royal Exchange. You get far more light and are able to better enjoy the surroundings.
The anticipated BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating plays a huge part in the success of the project. Were there any other key architectural features the client was keen to include?
I think elements such as the ceiling heights and revealing the windows in all their glory. Making use of the little terrace and ultimately having a better connectivity between the different floors.
In terms of the overall presentation and language of the scheme it was imperative that there was a link with the reception. The sculptural brass fronted desk was always going to remain, so to some extent it made decisions about the core quite easy. It was either going have a marble finish or the striking black timber.
As with extensive works of this nature there are many teams involved. How did you collaborate with others on the project?
Care is the word for answering this question. Everyone was really putting in a huge amount of care for the project, starting from the client of course, to planners, project manager and the contractor. I think this was a case of teamwork makes the dream work because quality was so important to everyone.
We always aim to be as collaborative as possible and ensure the client and project team are highly involved in the full duration of a project and encouraged to contribute as much as possible to the design. In conjunction with the client’s initial brief, it was invaluable to have bbg’s agency advice to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market and what tenants might be looking for. It was especially beneficial to have that depth of knowledge of the wider area as well as the building. Their involvement was fundamental to how we arrived at where we ultimately did.
As can be the nature of retrofit projects there were unforeseen roadblocks that were initially concealed in the building. At one point, we all had to stop the exercise within the realms of the contract and switch attention to identify what needed to be done to make the building safe and structurally sound.
After resolving these issues the original proposals could proceed again however, inevitably there had been delays. It could have been one of those circumstances where the team could to start to get unsettled but Cogent were able to really proactively project manage and kept everyone pointing in the right direction. They were excellent at focusing on what had to get done and making sure everybody was informed. It has been a real exercise of collaborative behaviour.
Where possible, what were you able to retain that represents some of the listed nature of the building?
Windows were a big thing and it was great that there was already secondary glazing. Additionally, it was seen as advantageous from the perspective of the BREEAM accreditation.
Where we maybe couldn’t replicate detailing due to various constraints, we gained some of the original loftiness of the space back in aspects like containing the plant in the refined bulkhead around the perimeter. There is also a particularly lovely feature of the recessed windows in the 5th floor dormers.
When covering future proofing for the client, how have you built in longevity in terms of operational costs?
One of the key design features that we hope facilitates longevity for the client is the move to condense the bulkhead. It provides a huge range of layout options allowing streamlined fabrication of partitions and adjustment to the workable space. In addition, it makes plant access less disruptive to occupants. Furthermore, this potential for personalisation adds another layer to the BREEAM achievement. In addition, the eye is pleasingly drawn down the floor where the bulkhead stops at an elegant point toward Threadneedle street.
How do you find the balance of touching upon trends whilst also ensuring there are strong classic elements to your design?
I would say we generally avoid trends in favour of high-quality timeless fittings. When we say high quality, that is not necessarily the most expensive, but materials that are presented in a natural way.
The ones that seem to stick around the longest are the those that use pared back organic materials. It’s even better if it covers some of the less good-looking mechanical elements! For instance, the wood around the core has been finished with a dark stain to reflect a similar feel to the reception. We were keen to see that the grain shows through and that it wasn’t entirely black – there is still very much a register of the natural colour coming through.
In working to achieve an excellent BREEAM rating, what sort of things did you have to cover off early in your design?
Interestingly it didn’t affect our design a huge amount but more required us to complete a lot of forms and considerations!
This involved aspects like certificates for our material sourcing, water saving appliances and building in dedicated space for operational waste. There were also areas that were covered by others in the project team such as building services, which were managed by the mechanical engineers, and registration of meetings by the project managers.
Design wise our main challenge was assessing light levels and ensuring enough daylight permeated the space for BREEAM criteria. This is where our work on the ceiling height was key as we couldn’t make changes to the existing window size. In terms of artificial light we lined used discreet panels in line with the centres of the windows so the position of the lighting could predict where partitions may go in the future.
I also really like the elements like the added planting and plugs on the desk which I know shouldn’t be a big thing but it is a great addition.
Yes, the plants and access side of things from a well-being perspective is just lovely to have….and they’re significant plants!
BREEAM regulates working conditions within the site across aspects like construction waste disposal but also the wellbeing of the building users throughout the whole retrofit process. At one point, the contractor had a bird feeding station on the roof, showing how the BREEAM rating really takes into consideration the wellbeing of the construction workers as well, not just paying tenants.
A potential drawback of the BREEAM rating is that it doesn’t consider monitoring of the scheme moving forward. It would be nice to see how the space ensures compliance through the operation stage once tenants have taken up leases ultimately realising the carbon saving modifications effectively.
How would you describe the final design style in a few words?
Smart in the sense that it is both clever design and visually clean. Timeless, elegant and future proof.
What did you enjoy about being involved in the project?
It’s a really good bunch of people. In talking about this project, I think it shows how the team was very special. The project manager (Cogent) had an endless patience and determination to get things done correctly. The building that we inherited obviously presented challenges, however, I think the compromises are few and far between. It was one of those rare occasions where everybody is really working hard and pulling the same direction.
Project Data
Client – DTZ Investors
Architects – GTH/Architects
Lead architect – Karl Taylor
Project managers – Cogent
Main contractor – Orchard
Development advisory agent – bbg Real Estate London
Leasing Agents – bbg Real Estate London, Knight Frank
Environmental Performance Data
Anticipated – BREEAM rating Excellent
