Fletcher Priest wins approval for retrofit of 1980s SOM Broadgate office

The City of London has passed a resolution to grant planning, meaning approval in principle subject to legal agreement for the revamp of the Postmodern 135-175 Bishopsgate, which will become known as One Exchange Square.The proposed retrofit will retain 90 per cent of the original structure while increasing the building’s floor space by around 15 per cent. It maintains the existing 13-storey height and includes 39,000m² of offices and 1,400m² of shops.The team claims the project has a net-zero operational carbon design, featuring 100 per cent electric power and ‘intelligent façade design’ to limit energy use.The scheme is targeting BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum for the base build, and hopes to become the first registered refurbishment project in the UK to achieve NABERS UK DfP 5 Stars Rating at Design Stage.The proposals also increase the public realm around the building, which sits next to the recently remodelled 0.6ha Exchange Square park by DSDHA, by approximately 7 per cent. They will also double the size of an existing public walkway running beneath the building connecting Bishopsgate to Exchange Square.Fletcher Priest designed the original masterplan for the Bishopsgate quadrant of Broadgate and completed recent retrofits at 135 Bishopsgate and 155 Bishopsgate.Creating a ‘healthier and more responsive post-pandemic working environment’ was at the core of the proposed retrofit of 135-175 Bishopsgate, said Fletcher Priest associate partner Nicholas Worley.The new design includes high-quality fresh air accessible on demand for occupants, a biophilia-filled atrium and more than 3,000m² of external gardens on terraces and balconies for workers.Worley added: ‘Our work has so far transformed this location from office monoculture to an all-hours destination, reactivating the street and extending the life of two major Broadgate buildings.’The proposals have been developed for LaSalle Investment Management and M3 Consulting on behalf of Malaysian investor PNB.