It was the first completed office building in the regeneration of Brookgate’s CB1 Station Area.

Sustainability features including green travel, environmental wellbeing and energy performance were at the heart of both the masterplan and the headquarters building. The building had to deliver on floor plate requirements, low maintenance, thermal comfort and circulation of fresh air and daylight. It also required full eversion capabilities for future use and the ability to be split for multiple tenancies.

Environmental wellbeing and energy performance were optimised with an external envelope with deep reveals to the cladding, external shading devices and high-spec glazing and integral inter-pane blinds; deciduous trees in landscaping for natural summer shading and winter sun daylight; enhanced fresh air intake and solar thermal collectors providing 20% of the annual hot water load, displacing 2 tonnes of CO2 per annum. A Building Management System monitors energy usage to assist seasonal commissioning.

The early confirmation of Microsoft Research as the tenant and engagement of the fit-out team allowed the co-ordination of disciplines to create a coherent bespoke workplace environment conducive to open communication and collaboration.

Microsoft Research’s specific brief for the encouragement of social and professional integration and collaboration through chance encounters between different research disciplines is reflected in the location of the communal spaces at the very heart of the building. Virtually column free interiors, achieving typically 86% NIA/GIA ratios, facilitated both cellular and open plan layout, providing isolation and collaboration features. Public and private threshold scan be reinforced or blurred to suit the occasion, with the ground floor performing as Microsoft Research’s active public face.

The building’s central atrium and communication stairs were designed to allow visual connectivity throughout with the communal spaces - café, garden and auditorium - located at the very heart of the building.  They also allow significant levels of natural daylight and fresh air intake both of which were priorities in creating a high-quality working environment.

A collaborative design approach ensured that the project met and exceeded the brief and delivered on all fronts. The building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating, with full reversion capabilities for future use together with the ability to split the building for multiple tenancies.