Holborn Viaduct

Located on a prominent site at the intersection of Holborn Viaduct and Farringdon Street, the project introduces a thirteen-storey office building designed to deliver a sustainable, adaptable and healthy workplace environment within one of central London’s most historically layered settings. The scheme responds directly to the complexity of the site, where infrastructure, heritage and commercial activity meet at a key point between the City and Farringdon.

Human comfort and wellbeing sit at the heart of the design. Adaptable workplace floors are paired with biodiverse terraces, communal spaces and a central atrium, while interconnecting staircases encourage movement and interaction throughout the building. At street level, a dedicated wellness wing supports cycling, active commuting and fitness, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on health and everyday experience in the workplace.

The architectural language is shaped by the site’s historic context and the presence of the listed south-eastern gatehouse, one of four that frame Holborn Viaduct bridge. Portland Stone, reused from the existing buildings, forms a new masonry base on Farringdon Street and helps weave the gatehouse back into the wider streetscape. Above, crafted perforated vertical fins provide a quieter and more contemporary foil to the historic fabric, establishing a careful dialogue between old and new.

Public realm is also central to the proposal, with two new public spaces created on Holborn Viaduct and Farringdon Street, connected by a new public lift that resolves the nine-metre level change across the site. Existing mature plane trees are retained and integrated into the landscape strategy, while active frontages, internal amenities and digital public art screens help bring new life and accessibility to the street.

The building is conceived as a contemporary workplace shaped by wellbeing, sustainability and careful urban integration within a highly sensitive city context. Designed to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum, it combines long-term adaptability with a strong response to the character and complexity of its setting.