Leading property company British Land has unveiled plans to redevelop Euston Tower through an innovative combination of retention, re-use and an ultra-low carbon new structure. The plans would transform the building into a pioneering, modern, net zero workspace for cutting-edge businesses of all sizes, including new world-class, lab-enabled spaces at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.
Currently under discussion with Camden Council and other local stakeholders, the vision for Euston Tower will lead the way in low carbon retrofit and construction techniques, using inclusive design which creates high quality workspaces and continues to support the local community and economy. The current proposals will bring forward lab-enabled spaces for start-up and scale-up innovation businesses, as well as spaces for the local community to support education and training opportunities.
Leading the design are award-winning Danish architecture practice 3XN who have recently worked with British Land on Broadgate’s iconic 2FA. They are supported by London-based architecture and landscape studio DSDHA who re-designed much of Broadgate’s public realm, including Exchange Square. The team have drawn up designs which would retain elements of the original tower, including the foundations, basement and core, while transforming the building and surrounding area into a welcoming, accessible and creative new space. Leveraging British Land’s expertise in creating inclusive external spaces across its campuses, proposals for a new and improved public realm include large areas of greening and a space for events, while also providing opportunities for people to dwell and relax.
In line with British Land’s longstanding commitment to net zero development, the design’s sustainability strategy is based on retaining, re-using and re-cycling existing material, specifying low carbon and recycled materials where new is required and only using certified carbon offsets as an action of last resort. British Land is also actively exploring options for local certified carbon offsets, whereby they would seek to offset embodied carbon associated with materials in the existing building that cannot be reused or recycled by funding equivalent local carbon avoidance measures.
This multi-layered approach to net zero development aims to create a blueprint for the sustainable redevelopment of challenging, inflexible old buildings that can be used in the future. British Land is working with research institutes to test progressive ways of re-using elements of the building’s structure and intends to use its findings to help accelerate the real estate industry’s move towards net zero.
As the owner and operator of Regent’s Place for nearly 40 years, British Land has a long history of partnering with the London Borough of Camden and its communities, delivering new affordable homes and spaces for the local community, including a theatre and arts centre and affordable workspaces. Working collaboratively with its local partners, British Land has sought to make a long-lasting, positive social impact, pioneering new approaches to creating social value, including its innovative Regent’s Place Community Fund which has raised over £200,000 for community projects since its launch in 2016.
The building will not increase in height beyond its existing 100 metres, but the site will be optimised to deliver better quality floor plates and public realm that respond to the growing needs of the Knowledge Quarter.
David Lockyer, Head of Development, British Land, said: “This is a unique opportunity to transform a London landmark desperately in need of revival, ensuring it is fit for the future by adopting cutting edge sustainability practices and attracting leading life sciences and innovation occupiers where it currently lies vacant.
“We’re committed to a comprehensive and transparent approach to sustainability, working closely with the London Borough of Camden and other key stakeholders to reimagine this office tower. The desire to retain, re-use and recycle as much of the building fabric as possible while creating high quality, flexible and sustainable workspaces is a blueprint for other projects facing similar challenges.”
Audun Opdal, Senior Partner and Head of Design, 3XN, added: “We are proud to work on this highly progressive project and feel our proposals will transform the disused Euston Tower into a beautifully designed, sustainable new building, delivering workspaces for the future and accessible and inclusive spaces for neighbouring communities.
“Working with our innovation unit GXN, we will reuse and recycle materials throughout the development, and ultimately reach net zero at completion and in operation. As such, we have developed a guiding hierarchy for how we find the best place for any elements that are removed from the existing structure. Where we cannot retain materials in situ we are developing innovative methodologies for recycling and upcycling, working closely with research institutes to further this. Architecturally this will be a new breed of tall building, one that minimises operational energy use through passive design, reducing solar gain with less glazing and increased façade depth.”
Deborah Saunt, Director, DSDHA, said: “The Euston Tower and Regents Place Plaza offers huge potential to create a meaningful new place of pause and relaxation amidst the bustle of the city. On an urban scale it acts as a key gateway to Camden’s West End for those approaching from the north, and conversely beckons people up to Hampstead and Camden Town when travelling from the south.
As a fulcrum between different districts of the city, it offers a critical opportunity to enhance biodiversity and encourage wellbeing, continuing the great work that has already begun on the estate, and we look forward to developing a public realm vision in collaboration with local communities and stakeholders.”
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