One Great St Helen’s, London EC3
Client: Spanish Private Investor
It is very exciting for JRA to be refurbishing and extending One Great St Helen’s, originally completed in 1998 and a BCO Award Winner in 2000. At the time, it was one of the first office buildings to be designed to the newly published British Council for Offices Specification. Since then the area has changed dramatically, and One Great St Helens is now situated next to 22 Bishopsgate, the tallest office building in London, at the heart of the ‘Eastern Cluster’.
After 25 years of occupation as Hiscox’s HQ, JRA is comprehensively refurbishing the building to bring it up to current office standards. A new landscaped roof terrace and winter garden will be located at level 10 with a new plant floor at level 11. New cycle storage and end-of-trip facilities will be located at basement level within the former car park. Externally, the original designs drew on the surrounding context and materiality of what was Crosby Square (now part of 22 Bishopsgate) and the nearby 13th century church, St Helen’s Bishopsgate. JRA is retaining the distinctive curved glazed façade that sits between two red sandstone ‘bookends’ and replicating it at the extended 11th floor.
One Great St Helen’s is also prioritising sustainability, achieving 57% improvement against the Building Regulations Part L carbon emission target and it is predicted to achieve BREEAM Excellent certification.