A unique development placing innovation and forward-thinking at the heart of its design

Designed as an urban campus, it is made up of a complex of five low-rise buildings set behind a 16-storey tower. It comprises office space, multiple restaurants and nine residential apartments, all built around a new public courtyard – Old Street Yard.

The unique design includes exposed concrete, high ceilings and multiple break-out areas. The tower is also home to a rooftop running track, while the bottom of the building houses two floors of cycling facilities, including bike storage space, lockers and shower amenities.

The Old Street Roundabout is one of the busiest cycling thoroughfares in London, so cyclist safety was a key concern during construction. We had a team of traffic marshals on the street and also organised numerous cycling safety events with the Metropolitan Police. The ‘Building Safety for Cyclists’ campaign we developed for the project won a Club Peloton Road Safety Award in October 2016.

White Collar Factory also achieved exemplary sustainability standards. The windows on each floor of the tower can be opened manually – a rarity for London high-rises – which means the office space can be naturally ventilated, increasing comfort and decreasing energy usage. A simple red and green traffic light system promotes conservation by helping users understand the energy they are expending. When the light is green, opening a window will shut down the exterior air supply so the building can be ventilated naturally, saving energy. When the light is red, windows can still be opened, but occupants know that energy will be used to maintain the temperature.

The project was targeting a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’, but ultimately achieved a rating of ‘Outstanding’ – BREEAM’s highest possible rating. White Collar Factory was also the first Multiplex project in the UK to target and achieve LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a green building certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The project achieved a rating of ‘Platinum’ – LEED’s highest possible rating – making it one of only two projects in the UK to have achieved the highest possible ratings for both BREEAM and LEED.

The office and restaurant spaces onsite have been let to tenants including Adobe, the Office Group and Workshop Coffee, while Old Street Yard is now fulfilling its ambition as a new ‘piece of London’ – open to the public with multiple access points, seating, open front cafés and wi-fi coverage. The result is a mini ecosystem, a new destination for working, relaxing and networking in the heart of East London’s Tech City.