Three Thames Valley offices named among best in Southern England by British Council for Offices
Three Thames Valley offices have been named among the best in Southern England by the British Council for Offices.
At the British Council for Offices Awards, the headquarters of CABI, the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, at Wallingford in Oxfordshire was named Best Corporate Workplace, Campus Reading International was named Best Refurbished/Recycled Workplace, and the HERE Building at HERE + NOW at Thames Valley Park, Reading won the award for ESG
CABI Headquarters convinced the judges with its holistic design scheme which incorporated the occupier’s brand into the building.
Its excellent environmental credentials are combined with a passive approach to design and a focus on biodiversity, with a sweeping green roof that meets the landscape seamlessly.
The judges highlighted the strong collaboration between the client, design and construction team which delivered this successful scheme on a very impressive budget for a not-for-profit organisation.
At Campus Reading International, 500,000sq ft of office space has been refurbished to create a space which has ESG and wellness at its core. Moving away from a reliance on fossil fuels, electric heat pumps have been implemented, and over 95% materials removed from site have been reused. The Social Value Bank has worked alongside the project to track and demonstrate the project’s social impact.
The building has been designed for flexibility delivering a range of options from fully fitted incubator space to CAT A fit out and shell and core space. Occupiers benefit from high-quality amenity including a restaurant, town hall space, and a gym and wellness suite.
The project was awarded a wide range of credentials including BREEAM Excellent, WiredScore Platinum, ActiveScore Gold ratings, WELL Platinum and WELL Health Safety. The judges were convinced by the building’s impressive scale and success demonstrated by positive occupier feedback.
The HERE Building is carbon neutral in operation and in construction and embraces circularity by reusing the old HVAC system in the sister building next door. The design team was challenged to design out any excess to minimise upfront carbon and the residual carbon was offset using a high-quality offset programme.
Architecturally, the building has been designed sympathetically to the existing fabric and internal features. The judges were stunned by meeting rooms ‘hung from the building’ and occupier wellness initiatives such as a premium gym and personal training, as well as cycling and treatment rooms.
The regional winners will compete for the BCO National Awards in October 2023.
Matthew Heaman, director at Hoare Lea and the British Council for Offices’ South of England and South Wales Committee Chairman, said: "This year’s winners are beacons of innovation in sustainable office-sector design. Importantly, they also offer impressive examples of how design can enhance work culture and support employee wellbeing. Congratulations to all our regional winners and good luck for the BCO National Awards 2023.”
Catherine Macpherson, Project Director at Hoare Lea and judging chair, said: “This year’s winners demonstrate the meaningful role that offices continue to play in our region.
"The impressive projects that the judges visited this year showcase the office’s potential to harness creativity and community. Sustainability and decarbonisation played a key role in this year’s winning projects, whether through retrofit, reuse and electrification. Our winners are at the forefront of sustainable office design.”
