Hines has submitted a planning application for a Foster + Partners-designed £1bn mixed-use development on Blackfriars Road in London.
The company has worked up plans for the scheme at 18 Blackfriars Road in partnership with Lipton Rogers Developments. The site sits close to the River Thames and consists of two residential buildings providing more than 400 new homes – 40% affordable – along with workspace and a new public space.
The 45-storey office building, which tops out at 199.28m, will be the tallest of the three buildings and will offer 20,000 sq ft of affordable workspace for local and “socially minded enterprises”. The two residential towers will be 40 and 22 storeys above podium.
Hines said the office building, which moves away from an all-glass design and has a series of bustles gradually reducing in size to the top, provides a “new form of architecture, departing from the traditional flat tower office building”. Hines said the design will minimise embodied carbon and it is targeting a 20-30% improvement against the GLA benchmark.
In addition to the public space in the ‘Rotunda’, retail and F&B space will be provided at the base of the new buildings.
Ross Blair, senior managing director and country head of Hines UK, said: “We’ve been working hard with our architects, the local community and other key stakeholders to bring this land, which has been undeveloped for 20 years, back to life.
“Occupiers are demanding more from their spaces to attract and retain the best people, the lines have blurred between workspace, wellness and leisure, and our design truly responds to these needs, offering an inspirational mix of spaces that foster collaboration. In many places around the world, Hines has successfully delivered environments which connect with the local community through a rich arts and wellbeing programme for the benefit of generations to come.
“The significant investment we are planning underlines our firm belief in London, and its enduring appeal as a global centre for business. We believe that our proposals for 18 Blackfriars Road will add significant value to the already established growth story of the Southbank and Bankside neighbourhoods, and as a long-term owner and operator we are deeply invested in the future success of the site and the benefits it will bring to the Southwark community.”
