Native Land has completed Arbor, a 223,000-sq-ft next-generation sustainable workplace designed with the needs of future occupiers in mind. The completion was announced alongside a new letting to the FTSE 100-listed industrial technology business Smiths Group plc.
Smiths Group will relocate its global headquarters to Arbor at Bankside Yards from St James’s Square in W1, taking a 13,600 sq ft office floor with a private terrace.
Arbor is an all-electric office building that is net-zero carbon in operation. This was an important factor in Smiths Group’s selection for its headquarters, with the Group stating that the choice to move to a building with strong environmental credentials aligns with its own net zero ambitions and sustainability priorities.
The new location supports Smiths Group’s plans as the company continues to capitalise on its three strategic priorities of accelerating growth, strengthening execution, and empowering its people. The flexible and smart workspace will enable enhanced collaboration and teamwork, supporting its reinvigorated culture with high-quality technology.
Arbor is one of only a few newly completed ESG focused, prime buildings in the central London office market and has already attracted significant interest from occupiers. The leading global climate consultancy, The Carbon Trust, will also relocate its global headquarters to the building from April 2023. Law firm Lewis Silkin will move into 28,000 sq ft on the 6th and 7th floors after taking a pre-let in December 2021. Native Land is in active negotiations on a further 78,000 sq ft within the building.
Arbor is the first building to complete at the 1.4 million sq ft Bankside Yards development. Designed by PLP Architecture, Arbor provides 19 storeys of high-quality, forward thinking workspace that will meet the expanding demand from businesses to be based in Bankside and SE1.
In addition to terraces on every other floor, the building has two unique double-height floors; a 6m high space on levels 2 and 3 to be used as an auditorium or creative workspace, and a “loft space” on level 19 both of which were inspired by the world renowned Turbine Hall at the nearby Tate Modern.
Native Land is co-investing joint venture partner in Bankside Yards, alongside Temasek, Amcorp Properties Berhad and Hotel Properties Limited of Singapore.
Bankside Yards is the UK’s first fossil fuel-free major mixed-use development. All its electrical power will come from fully renewable sources. A pioneering fifth-generation energy sharing network will deliver reductions in energy use and enable the estate to achieve net zero carbon in operation.
Arbor is a ‘smart’ building with the potential for its own digital twin – a 3-D replica of the building that provides real time analysis to monitor and improve its efficiency. Native Land has partnered with Smart Spaces, the leading technology providers in building management, to develop Arbor’s technology infrastructure.
Jay Squier, Director – Commercial & Mixed Use at Native Land, said:
“Native Land is delighted to welcome Smiths Group to Arbor and to Bankside Yards. We’re hugely proud of the work we have done to deliver a building and a mixed-use development that makes it a natural choice for a FTSE 100 company to relocate to Bankside from St James’s.
Arbor is a leading example of a workspace which exceeds the demands of today’s occupiers for high quality, energy-efficient and human-centric space.”
Alasdair Nicholls, Chief Executive of Native Land, said:
“Arbor exemplifies Native Land’s approach to the creation of modern buildings, combining high levels of sustainability and leading-edge technology, with our long-held emphasis on considered design, exceptional quality, and high levels of amenity. It’s an approach we will continue to bring to all our future workspace, residential and mixed-use projects.”
Vera Kirikova, Chief People Officer at Smiths Group, said:
“At Smiths Group, a key priority is to promote collaboration, teamwork and an inclusive and high performing culture for our people. As we look to a bright future of sustained growth and opportunity, this location move is a step towards achieving this goal.”
Midori Ainoura, Partner at PLP Architecture, said:
“Arbor is more than just an office building. It’s a hub for interaction, creativity, and inspiration in the heart of the city. Offices are no longer just about providing a place to work, but rather fostering meaningful and productive interactions between people. This makes Arbor’s location in the Bankside Yards masterplan all the more significant, as it plays a vital role in shaping a hypermixed neighbourhood that blends work and city life, culture and technology, nature and art.”
Knight Frank and Ingleby Trice are letting agents for Arbor.
