Bureau, 90 Fetter Lane, London EC4

JRA carried out the refurbishment and repositioning of Bureau at 90 Fetter Lane for Evans Randall Investors. The prominent Midtown site has been transformed from a dated 1980s building into a contemporary multi-occupier workspace with high specification facilities and user experience at its heart.

JRA has dramatically increased Bureau’s street presence through a new, refined rectilinear façade, and a double height glazed reception hall. Inside, the space now features original installation artwork from Paul Cocksedge spanning the atrium and high tech additions like facial recognition cameras, integrated charging facilities, and key free lockers that streamline the user experience. The lettable space of the building has increased dramatically, from 6,000m2 to 7,100m2, with two additional floors added at levels seven and eight, joined by a feature stair and three new terraces.

By reusing the original building, the practice set the tone for their sustainable approach. The outdated building services have been updated and are now fully controllable by a Building Management System. In addition, materials for the project were sustainably sourced, and the cycle facilities are extensive, with a storage capacity of 130, plus an on-site maintenance station. Bureau has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and all office floors are WELL Standard ready.

The original 1980s building at 90 Fetter Lane was characterised by heavy masonry cladding, small windows and post-modern styling.

Stripped back to the concrete structural frame, the building has been reclad to give it a fresh and contemporary look and two new additional floors. New floor to ceiling glazing, combined with brick and stone, create active and distinctive façades which optimise daylighting into the office spaces and provide extensive views out onto the surrounding cityscape. It has a fresh and stylish presence, animated by a double height entrance which welcomes both occupiers and visitors. The works redefined Bureau’s street presence, making the building an elegant addition to the emerging streetscape at the junction of Fetter Lane and Norwich Street in Holborn, an area undergoing significant urban and demographic change.

The arrival experience at Bureau is designed to be refreshingly different. The office reception is accessed from the corner of the building and comprises a double height entrance, a flexible lobby with concierge desk and a club space for informal meetings, providing an enhanced arrival experience.

A site specific sculpture was commissioned from the artist Paul Cocksedge. It spans the double height of the entrance and complements the surrounding finishes of burnished metal, polished concrete and marble.

Bureau offers 5,712m2 of lettable office space. The office floors are WELL Standard ready and configured to accommodate a range of occupancy patterns. The full height glazing maximises natural light, with projecting bays that create external interest and designate internal feature spaces. Two additional floors at levels seven and eight, joined by a feature stair, increased the lettable area of the building by 19%.

The entrance experience is streamlined by facial recognition technology that identifies building users and the space offers a club style lounge for meetings. Occupiers have access to new key-free cycle facilities located in the basement, including cycle parking, showers and an on-site maintenance station. The area is unified with bespoke wayfinding graphics that run consistently throughout the building. On the upper floors, three high quality outdoor terraces have been introduced, and are accessed by large sliding doors, facilitating easy connections between inside and outside. Building-wide, the digital connectivity has been awarded a WiredScore Platinum rating.

Reusing the original building set the tone for a sustainable approach throughout; Bureau’s embodied carbon figures better the RIBA’s 2030 target for non-domestic buildings by 46%. The refurbished building now benefits from a thermally efficient fabric, with good air tightness and U-values, as well as full height glazing which optimises daylighting and limits excessive solar gains. The building services have been upgraded and are now fully controllable using a Building Management System, which enables the reduction of energy consumption through real-time lighting and temperature adjustment. In addition, materials for the project have been sustainably sourced in line with the BRE’s Green Guide to Specification, and a Life Cycle Assessment carried out to achieve key BREEAM credits, all of which has led to the building being awarded a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.