John Robertson Architects (JRA) has completed Bloom Clerkenwell, one of London’s most dynamic and prominent workspace developments in recent years, occupying a site adjacent to London’s Farringdon station.
The HB Reavis development comprises 14,500 m² of Grade A workspace across seven levels, plus 600 m² of adaptable retail areas and 1,400 m² of landscaped roof terraces.
Festus Moffat, director, John Robertson Architects, said:
“Bloom Clerkenwell is located in one of London’s most vibrant areas and has been designed to be a highly flexible workplace environment which can respond to the needs of larger and smaller businesses equally.”
The site was acquired by HB Reavis in July 2018 together with permission for an original scheme which JRA sought to adapt and achieve consent for with the London Borough of Islington.
JRA’s approach has focused on delivering a “highly sustainable design” with “occupier wellbeing and sustainability concerns” at its focus.
Sitting above the newly expanded and reconfigured Farringdon station hub, Bloom’s relationship with Britain’s rail network is central to the building’s design. Key features include a palette of materials used in the building’s facades including faience, terracotta and anodised aluminium giving it a “clear, contemporary, and complementary identity in relation to many of its neighbours and responding to Clerkenwell’s diverse and eclectic architectural history,” said the architects.
Bloom has achieved a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, a WiredScore ‘Platinum’ and an Energy Performance Certificate rating of ‘A’; while Bloom targets net-zero carbon in operation via energy from Citigen, an integrated photovoltaics module array installed on the roof, and responsible waste management systems.