The vertical arrangement of the building begins with a double-height reception and amenity volume at ground level. The section then rises through four trading floors with virtually uninterrupted floorplates, one trading support floor, two conference and visitor facility floors with outdoor terraces, four floors of general offices, and a plant level.
Key to the brief was to consolidate the majority of UBS’s London workforce. There are four football pitch-sized floors with cores pushed to the perimeter. The 13.5m x 12m structural grid ensures long-term spatial flexibility with the potential to accommodate up to 3,000 traders.
It may be one of the biggest but 5 Broadgate is also one of the most sustainable office buildings of its time. Key environmental features include the second biggest array of photovoltaic cells and solar thermal panels in the City of London, a substantial area of green roof, 70 percent waste recycling, FSC-certified timber, and a BREEAM Excellent rating. Overall, 5 Broadgate’s energy conservation level is nearly 50 percent better than required by regulations.
The scheme has also created a new north-south pedestrian link between the centre of Broadgate and Sun Street Passage, which connects to the concourse of Liverpool Street station. Make has designed an Op Art style array of coloured panels for this connection, and the scheme also features a major public artwork by David Batchelor.
Ken Shuttleworth, founder of Make, comments: “Seeing 5 Broadgate come to fruition is the culmination of my 40 years in architecture. Our team at Make has been able to raise the benchmark for workplace design and produce a ground-breaking office building which has a remarkably efficient energy-use. Architecturally, there’s nothing else like this building anywhere.”
5 Broadgate represents a powerful vote of confidence in the City of London. Make’s world-class building will play a key part in the next chapter of the Broadgate success story and act as a catalyst for the ongoing regeneration of the area.
