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High quality contextual facade will ensure better relationship to the conservation area and street

• New structure enables contemporary flexible workspace with generous ceiling heights
• Proposed scheme maximises site potential while surpassing sustainability requirements

Award-winning architectural practice gpad london and developer Maurice Investments have secured planning permission for a new office building at 2-7 Clerkenwell Green, Islington.

gpad’s design is for a contemporary warehouse with a brick frontage and copper-clad mansard roof, sensitive to the conservation area. When complete the building will boast 23,048 sq ft of prime workspace spread over seven floors. Not only will the building have an improved relationship to the street, it will also offer vastly improved accessibility, energy efficiency and sustainability with the building set to achieve BREEAM Excellent and the WELL Building Standard.

Commenting on the planning approval, Charles Bettes, Managing Director at gpad said: “We’re a retrofit first practice, opting for refurbishment over new build whenever feasible. The building at Clerkenwell Green, however, would need extensive adaptation and likely need to be replaced by a new build in the not too distant future, therefore it’s more sustainable to address the problems now.

Charles continues: “Our plan delivers not only a better looking, more considered building, it’s also much more energy efficient and space is much better used. This will offer improved longevity and flexibility, while being a positive addition to the character of the conservation area and the street.”

As part of the proposed design, the ground floor will offer workspace accommodation to SMEs. There will also be three roof terraces, cycle storage and showers.

Gavin Wogman, at Maurice Investments, says: “Clerkenwell Green is a famous London address, which provides a peaceful counterbalance to the busy roads nearby. Understandably, it’s a conservation area and so any proposal had to improve the surroundings. This sophisticated design will deliver the workspaces that today’s businesses want, while also enhancing the area.”

Planning Approval Team:

Client: Maurice Investments

Architect: gpad London Ltd

Planning Consultant: Maddox

M&E Engineer: Watkins Payne

Structural Engineer: GDC

Daylight / Sunlight Consultant: Point 2 surveyors

Heritage: Alan Baxter

Archaeology: Archaeology Collective

Sustainable Design and Energy: Watkins Payne

Acoustics Assessment: ALN Acoustics

Transport Assessment: YES Engineering

Utilities and foul sewage assessment: Pitman Associates

Phase 1 desk study: Pam Brown Associates Tree survey and AIA Greengage SUDS GDC

Community Involvement: London Communication Agency

Visuals: Unbuilt and CGeye

Fire Strategy: Mendick Waring Limited