One Westferry Circus, located in the prestigious Canary Wharf district of London, is a 220,000-square-foot nine–story multitenant office building defined by an unmistakable curved façade. In a concentrated effort to harness the environmental and social benefits of circular economy, the 1992 structure has been fully refurbished to provide sustainability efficiencies, elevate the health and well-being offer and employ the latest smart technology. 

Between May 2019 and March 2021, HDR provided the holistic Cat-A refurbishment of One Westferry Circus, encompassing an extensive range of building engineering services, including: mechanical, electrical and public health, control systems, fire & life safety, lighting; vertical transportation, environmental, sustainability, resilience, testing and commissioning. We conducted a full modernisation of the space whilst it was occupied.

HDR oversaw a phased refurbishment of the ground floor communal areas, including the main entrance, a vestibule, a large atrium reception and a lift lobby. HDR renovated five stories of the building, complete with new cloakroom facilities and lift lobbies, effectively delivering modern, flexible workspaces, benefiting from expansive private roof terraces with panoramic views of the River Thames. To encourage active travel, HDR upgraded the basement level with brand–new high–quality end of trip facilities, including showers, changing rooms, lockers and cycle racks for up to 240 bicycles.

HDR further improved the development by replacing the building management system on all floors, installing new ceilings to deliver premium floor to ceiling height, replacing the on–floor variable air volume systems, and increasing fresh air provisions by introducing new air handling units with higher efficiency filters to improve air quality.

Working in a live building with very little historical information posed a challenge to accomplishing the required scope of renovation. HDR’s experts resolved this by conducting surveys in the early stages of the scheme and identifying potential risks, working closely with the contractor and building management to streamline the modernisation and successfully achieve completion. Additionally, the project coincided with the height of COVID–19 pandemic, creating further pressures for the team. We overcame this by ensuring all procedures were identified and followed, as well as drawing on lessons learned from previous projects.

HDR successfully completed the refurbishment of One Westferry Circus strictly adhering to an ambitious sustainability and circular economy framework: 98% of the existing internal and external fabric of the building was retained; 95% of the waste from the renovation work was recycled or repurposed; 100% sustainable timber was used for the refurbishment. Additional sustainability features throughout the building include: new energy efficient lighting controls and LED lighting; new water–efficient sanitary ware; and new fixtures and finishes selected for their low global warming potential.

The development received the WiredScore Platinum certification, the highest awarded mark, evidencing that the building meets exceptional standards for the quality of its wired infrastructure, resilience and wireless network.

HDR expertly undertook an elegant and efficient modernisation of One Westferry Circus whilst occupied. Our team sensitively refurbished the building in harmony with modern market sensibilities whilst working within the sustainability framework; with a focus on tenant health and well-being as well as sustainability, delivered through a considered circular economy approach.