The 200,000 sq ft office building is located adjacent to the
precincts of St Paul’s Cathedral and is widely recognised as one
of the City of London’s finest twentieth century buildings. It was
the first post-war building to receive listed building status and
has been awarded a Grade II* listing twice, first in 1987 and
again in 2013.
JRA’s transformation required a complete overhaul of the office
accommodation after a quarter of a century of use. New internal
courtyards have been created to resolve the level changes
between the main office floorplates and the historic wings,
improving the ease of movement for occupants and creating
unity between the designs.
The office floors have been upgraded to meet the standards of
a twenty-first-century news organisation, with large open plan
areas and working spaces. The office areas now feature state-of-
the-art LED lighting and energy efficient air conditioning systems.
Increased daylight has also been introduced via the atrium roof,
where glasscrete has been partially replaced with clear glazing,
after consultation with Historic England.
The building’s main entrance hall on Friday Street has been
enlarged by relocating the original glazed partitions and timber
louvres, offering new business lounge areas and a visual
connection to the atrium. This, coupled with the removal of an
existing timber trellis and external planters, creates a more active
street frontage.
JRA’S TRANSFORMATION REQUIRED A COMPLETE
OVERHAUL OF THE OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
AFTER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY OF USE.