Independent developer Nord has acquired a site from Bristol City Council for the development of an exciting new office building, One Portwall Square, in the heart of Bristol’s commercial district.
Located adjacent to the Council’s 100 Temple Street office, the site currently comprises a disused squash court and car park which will be demolished and replaced with an exemplar office development fronted by a newly created landscaped pocket square providing much needed public amenity in this key part of Bristol.
Working closely with Bristol City Council, the team at Nord will recycle an underutilised asset and is applying the best and latest thinking in commercial architecture and urban realm to create a new type of office for Bristol.
Designed by Stirling Prize winning architects AHMM, who have pre-let one floor of the building as the new home for their expanding Bristol office, One Portwall Square will use a passive cooling system coupled with natural ventilation and is looking to achieve a BREEAM Excellent accreditation emphasising its sustainability and energy efficiency credentials. It is also connecting into Bristol City Council’s District Heat Network providing a more sustainable way of heating that offers cost efficiencies and a greener energy source.
Additionally, the building is targeting a WiredScore Certification Platinum in recognition of its commitment to outstanding connectivity as well as a CyclingScore Certification to demonstrate its health and wellbeing focus.
With planning consent granted, work has started on the six storey office scheme with the development due for completion in Spring 2021.
Nord Director Richard Jones said of the purchase “We are delighted to have secured this fantastic site in a prime Bristol location. Bristol is a dynamic market with strong office demand and we look forward to delivering a vibrant new commercial scheme with generous internal volumes and flexible workspaces for a modern generation of tenants.”
Cllr Craig Cheney, deputy mayor and Cabinet member for Finance, Governance and Performance, said: “Having this part of the 100 Temple Street car park transformed into not only new offices but also a recreational area to be used by the public is a creative use of space in what is an evolving area of the city.”
Cushman & Wakefield’s Bristol office represented Nord on this transaction.
