A standalone office on the ground floor of Aurora, the landmark green office building being developed speculatively at Finzels Reach, is being fitted out to appeal to companies in Bristol’s burgeoning tech and media sector.
Studio A, a 3,160 sq ft self-contained space for up to 40 people, has its own separate entrance, reception and private facilities, making it ideal for one of the companies spinning out of spaces such as Engine Shed, which are struggling to find room in the city to grow.
With exposed services in the ceiling and a more ‘funky’ interior design, Studio A still benefits from the ‘super-green’ credentials, lower running costs and high quality of the rest of the building.
Cubex, the developers behind Aurora, believe this approach will provide the perfect combination to appeal to ambitious companies in one of Bristol’s fastest-growing sectors, which need to attract and retain highly skilled staff in a competitive industry.
Peter Walford, director at Cubex said: “Bristol’s reputation as a growing centre for tech and media industries is well-documented but there’s fierce competition to attract the best staff and companies are on the lookout for inspiring work spaces to help give them a real edge. We have therefore decided to give a different interior treatment to Studio A, making it an ideal home for an ambitious media or tech company.”
“Studio A will benefit from the low running costs of Aurora due to its green credentials but, as a self-contained suite, the budget building service charge will be reduced to a competitive £3 per sq ft making the overall running costs significantly cheaper than many other similar sized offices. Furthermore, being situated within the Temple Meads Enterprise Zone, occupiers can benefit from up to 100% rates discount which further adds to the financial attraction.”
Work is now nearing completion on the 95,000 sq ft Aurora, Bristol’s only ‘Grade A’ speculative office building, which is part of the Finzels Reach, the highly-regarded new quarter being created on Bristol’s waterfront in the heart of the city by Cubex and funded by Palmer Capital.
Finzels Reach provides an ideal environment for businesses, being a short walk over the new Castle Bridge to Bristol’s Shopping Quarter and only a few minutes from the Old City and across to Temple Meads Station. It is already home to a popular weekly street food market, recently-opened Premiere Inn hotel and a range of bars and restaurants are set to join them, with brewer Left Handed Giant and Casamia having recently announced plans to open there. When complete, some 2,500 people will live or work in the thriving new neighbourhood.
Already 40% let to international law firm Simmons & Simmons and intellectual property specialist Mewburn Ellis LLP, with negotiations underway on two further floors, Aurora will be ready this summer for companies to start fitting out their own offices.
Aurora is the only building outside London and one of only six in the UK to achieve the BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ award under the new, toughest rating scheme. It also holds a LEED Gold standard. Aurora is the only speculative office development currently under construction in Bristol.
Once complete this summer, Aurora will consist of six storeys and key ‘green’ features including rooftop mounted solar panels, intelligent LED lighting, water saving technology and an emphasis on creating a healthy working environment, with fresh air and plenty of natural light from the floor to ceiling glazing. There will be bicycle storage facilities, lockers and showers on site.
