The Charter Building has been shortlisted for a London Construction Award in the ‘Regeneration Project of the Year’ category and has been featured in the BBC drama ‘The Bodyguard’, watched by over 11 million viewers, as the interior of the Home Office.
Home Office or Innovative Workplace? Apparently Both…
Compared to what it used to be, The Charter Building is almost completely unrecognisable, transformed from a shell into a vibrant, lively, creative space that attracts forward-thinking tenants, inspirational coworking providers and even film crews. The Charter Building attracts dynamism; whether that’s hosting stimulating business workshops on digital media, sustainable growth, women’s business empowerment or acting as a contemporary networking space for companies such as LinkedIn and Google. It has even been used as a film set for the recent BBC drama ‘The Bodyguard’ for the setting of the Home Office. The space is inviting, there’s no denying that.
How did dn-a approach the design of this regeneration project?
The original building, once the UK headquarters for Coca Cola, was completely stripped back to its structural frame. The floorplates were extended, a new community atrium and penthouse floor, with access to a dramatic roof terrace, were created, expanding the net lettable area by approximately 8,000sqm. Creating visual interest and spaces for community interaction was at the heart of the design approach. An internal “Street” that cuts a swathe through the North/South axis of the building acts as an animated breakout area and social hub, encouraging serendipitous encounters, where occupiers can meet clients, brainstorm with colleagues over a coffee, or simply refocus outside of their office environment. The use of natural materials, the intriguing design elements — including a five-storey atrium with coloured timber boxes “popping out” at different levels — through to the warm, intimate areas make this space truly an innovative and exciting place to work in.
What makes this project worthy of winning a London Construction Award?
So why does The Charter Building deserve to win? Not only for the end result, it truly is a fantastic space to experience, but also for the incredibly collaborative nature of the project. We worked very closely with our clients Landid Property and Brockton Capital to ensure The Charter Building became the inspired workspace that we know today. As a studio we have undertaken many regeneration projects, including the RIBA Award winning Thames Tower in Reading, as we really enjoy the challenge of unlocking the potential of a space that is crying out for rejuvenation. At dn-a we relish the opportunity of transforming a building into a place within which people want to be, work and enjoy life. The Charter Building is no different. The interiors are crafted with a warm, convivial touch which has transformed the previous office building into a space tenants and users want to engage with. Renovated into a piece of interactive art, with co-working areas, bespoke furniture and carefully placed biophilic elements, such as olive trees in “The Street”, The Charter Building truly stands out.
It offers something contemporary, something exciting for tenants looking to locate to a prime location. But more than that it offers an intricately, beautifully designed space, a space for people to connect and collaborate within, a space to host events and enjoy a perfect work-life balance. Being shortlisted for a London Construction Award is of prime importance to us as The Charter Building deserves to receive recognition for what it has achieved. A truly inventive and imaginative regeneration project that has dramatically changed what was before into something truly dynamic, distinctive and stimulating.
A condensed version of this blog piece first featured in the London Build Expo‘s 2018 news blog.