We were selected as one of the six finalists in the AJ/Crown Estate Future Office open ideas competition, which asked architects and designers to consider how inspiring and effective workplaces would operate from 2020 onwards, reflecting changing ways of living and working, new technology and other factors such as traffic congestion and the impact of climate change. Each team applied its concept to The Crown Estate’s Clydesdale Bank building off Piccadilly Circus.

We used our weekly internal design charrettes to develop ideas for the competition. Over eight weekly sessions we developed our proposal for a new My. Estate future office concept, which addressed the 21^st Century desire for people to be able to connect and merge their work, leisure and home lifestyles.

My. Estate created a new ‘city village’ that deconstructed and reconstructed Crown Estate properties around the site, connecting them physically and virtually across different layers, to create environments where individuals and tenants could live and work in a flexible and connected space, with a roof-top linear park and connections to local infrastructure.

Following the initial submission we were one of ten practices shortlisted from almost eighty teams to develop and present ideas to the judging panel. For the final stage we were one of six finalists selected to participate in a day-long charrette at the offices of the Crown Estate, working up designs alongside the other five teams and the judges.