CamLIFE
Gensler · Cambridge, United Kingdom
Projects / Project
The Acre
A 1980s Brutalist building in Covent Garden is transformed into a lower-carbon workplace with new public-facing entrances, terraces and a seven-storey atrium.
- Client
- Northwood Investors
- Size
- 260,000 sq ft
- Structure retained
- 80%
- Carbon saving
- Approximately 4,250 tonnes of CO₂
- Public space
- Seven-storey glazed atrium and 12,000 sq ft of terraces
The story
The story behind the work.
Gensler retained most of the original structure and reworked the building around a glazed heart space, adaptable offices and hospitality-led communal areas. New entrances, retail and a central cafe reconnect the previously inward-facing block with Covent Garden's public realm.
The reuse strategy kept 80 per cent of the structure and is recorded as saving approximately 4,250 tonnes of carbon dioxide. An upgraded envelope, all-electric systems, mixed-mode ventilation and planted terraces support the workplace's performance and wellbeing ambitions.
Credits
- Design practice
- Gensler
The practice