Taiwan-based Fubon Life Insurance Company has appointed Fabrix to lead the refurbishment of the 216,000 sq ft Bow Bells House office building in the City of London.
The building, which offers 19,000 sq ft of retail space and 197,000 sq ft of office space, was designed by David Walker Architects and developed in 2008.
PATRIZIA, which acts as Fubon’s strategic investment manager for its European portfolio, has worked closely with Fubon and Fabrix to reposition the building as a core office asset, with a targeted completion date of Q1 2026 for the refurbishment project.
Clive Nichol, CEO of Fabrix, said: “Fabrix is delighted to be working with Fubon on this exceptional building, drawing on our team’s extensive track record of repositioning assets. The City is changing and our task is to bring Bow Bells House back online, with a razor-sharp focus on the elements that really matter – decarbonisation and the occupier experience.”
“Partnering with an international investor in a development and leasing management capacity allows us to bring our on-the-ground development expertise, with highly technical and creative solutions, to ensure Bow Bells House is income-producing again. We’re focused on delivering the right solutions for this building, which boasts all the raw ingredients to be a class leader – notably a sensitive revitalisation bringing services, amenities, and environmental performance up to modern day standards.”
Bertie Norman, head of strategic asset mandates at PATRIZIA, added: “The repositioning of Bow Bells House is designed to elevate the building to the standards of a core office asset in one of the world’s most competitive office markets. At PATRIZIA, we are focused on driving long-term value through sustainable and tenant-centric strategies. This project will future-proof the building to ensure it remains competitive and attractive to modern tenants.”
Abby Brown, partner at Knight Frank, which is joint letting agent with Newmark on the building’s office space, said: “Knight Frank and Newmark are excited to be working alongside Fabrix and Fubon, helping to deliver Bow Bells back to the market. London is experiencing an acute lack of future supply, with occupiers coming out earlier ahead of their lease event to secure an option which delivers on their occupational requirements.
“With Fabrix and Fubon set to deliver a scheme which focuses on sustainability and enhancing the buildings key attributes, Knight Frank and Newmark are confident that Bow Bells, will appeal to a broad range of occupiers, particularly given its prime City of London location.”
The project team also includes Ikon, White Red Architects and Harris Bugg Studio.
