One Hundred

The tired 1980s 6-storey open plan office development is situated at a busy intersection of Bristol City Centre, at a crossroads that has recently undergone major improvement works, meaning that more traffic now flows towards the site. The pre-existing building had a basement car park and plant equipment within the roof space.

The vision was to redefine the city’s gateway by introducing a distinctive new building profile that seamlessly integrates into its surroundings. Enhancing the local environment as well as the internal workplace for the occupants. The extensions to the existing building offer 55,590 sq ft of space with the intention of creating high-quality workspaces that promote health and wellbeing through design.

We took a Retro-first approach with preservation, renovation and expansion being at the forefront of the design process. With the existing building in sound condition, retaining the structure and many of the façades ensured a highly sustainable development. The emphasis on innovation within the retrofit design allowed us to successfully craft an inviting and functional space that fosters collaboration and caters to hybrid working.

There was a collective drive to deliver from an ESG perspective to improve the original quality of the building, which meant that we considered the environmental and social impact of the building in our design and future use of the space.

The design is thoughtfully flexible with the collaboration between architectural and engineering disciplines being fully coordinated. The ground floor is a blank canvas that can be changed to fit the evolving needs of the occupants; it comprises dynamic office spaces, a public café or a retail unit. The prominent position means they will be frequented often. The luxurious, relaxing and welcoming atmosphere that has been cultivated by the interiors begins when you enter the reception area, with the double ceiling height and natural light and continues into the generous WC provisions and office spaces throughout.

Excitingly the building is connected to the Bristol District Heat Network – actively contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in our urban environment, aligning with efforts to address the pressing climate emergency.

The Retro-first approach exemplifies sustainable development and has allowed us to improve overall thermal performance, air permeability and energy efficiency. PV cells provide onsite renewable energy and the amount of carbon saved is 1,963 tonnes / 281kg CO2e / m2 GIA. Subsequently, the building has achieved:

Net Zero Carbon Building / 2 Star Fitwel Certification / Active Score Platinum / Platinum WiredScore / Outstanding BREEAM Rating / EPC A

The integration of technology into the building’s operation was undertaken to optimise user experience.

The lighting system utilises Organic Response Technology with an integrated sensor in every luminaire.

With boutique WCs, a basement car park with EV chargers and a Platinum ActiveScore rated cycle facility, we have considered ways in which the user experience can be maximised at every opportunity.

The differing types of working areas that make up office spaces will improve people’s wellbeing and work-life balance.

Post Occupancy Evaluations will be completed by occupants to learn how the spaces are used and enjoyed.

During the construction, the local community was involved by extending our support for the local homeless population via the initiative ‘Leave a Coat, Take a Coat’ and promoting local causes such as Billy Chip; dedicated to assisting those in need.

The team have been mindful of the future refurbishment of the building; for example, the steel façade structure allows flexibility for alternative cladding solutions in the future and use of rational grid and glazing modules allows for replacement.

Another feature is flexible floor plates that can easily sub divided into 1, 2 or 3 units per floor – to suit the demand. Offering a variety of tenancy sizes with configurations that can be adapted throughout the lifespan of the building.