Mitsubishi Estate London and development partner Stanhope have begun refurbishment work on Warwick Court, the landmark office building within the iconic Paternoster Square scheme next to St Paul’s Cathedral.
The works will see a complete reconfiguration of the ground floor arrival experience from Paternoster Square, as well as the installation of new plant through the building incorporating touch free services, to meet the requirements of the modern occupier. Common amenity spaces will be incorporated, including a number of individual terraces and a communal roof terrace with unrivalled views of St Pauls Cathedral.
When the refurbishment is complete, the building will offer over 180,000 sq ft of accommodation , with floorplates ranging from 15,000 sq ft to 29,000 sq ft, suitable for a range of users from major trading floor operations to more agile and creative sectors.
Sustainability was placed at the heart of the brief to the architects, Fletcher Priest Associates, whose ‘BREEAM Excellent’ scheme will see the retention and reuse of existing finishes, acknowledging the original interior design whilst reducing waste and offering a considerable carbon saving. The embodied carbon saving is projected to exceed the average annual carbon footprint of 1250 people, while the efficient plant design will deliver an EPC A, to minimise carbon in use.
The refurbishment reunites the original Paternoster Square development team, which Mitsubishi and Stanhope partnered on to deliver in 2003. Goldman Sachs has held the headlease on Warwick Court until its departure at the end of last year. Mace was appointed as contractor in June, with work scheduled to complete by the end of Q2 2022. Cushman & Wakefield has been appointed as sole agent on the rejuvenated building.
David Camp, chief executive of Stanhope, said: “We developed Warwick Court at the end of the 1990’s with our long term partners, Mitsubishi. I think that the building has stood the test of time. It is a great pleasure to be working with Mitsubishi again to give the building a new long-term lease of life, optimising its sustainability credentials and providing accommodation which meets the needs of modern City of London occupiers. Given the location of Warwick Court with spectacular views over St Paul’s and the quality and flexibility of the space we are confident of welcoming occupiers at an early stage.”
Yuichiro Shioda, managing director of Mitsubishi Estate London added: “Mitsubishi and Stanhope have worked closely on a number of projects, including the original Paternoster Square development, and it is exciting to reform the original team in revitalising Warwick Court. This has always been a highly-prized location, and this refurbishment will truly bring the amenities and infrastructure in line with the demands of modern working.”
