Panagram - Part One, EC1M

The building refurbishment

The brief of this building refurbishment project was to create a modern, light and airy office space unique to the surrounding area in both design and concept. To bring the client’s vision to life we had to overcome several challenges related to structural alterations, layout re-configuration, workflow management and COVID-19 restrictions.​

The first phase of the project focused on bringing the building back to its original floor layout, so we stripped out all the existing fittings from the 7th floor right down to the lower ground floor. We removed the existing M&E systems and the fire coating from all the steelwork – a difficult process but one with impressive results. At the same time, the many terraces surrounding the building were surveyed in preparation for a separate makeover.  ​

The second phase involved major structural alterations to the building layout – a key element of the brief was to open up the floor plate between the ground and lower ground to make space for a new feature staircase to connect the floors and allow natural light to flood down into the lower ground office space. For these changes to happen we had to carefully assess all the possible risks involved.​

The building of the main entrance portal was another structural challenge and one that presented a learning curve as this was something we’d never done before. ​​In both cases, Open employed subcontractors who have extensive experience in this specialist area, and it was working together with them that allowed us to successfully meet the demanding project requirements. ​

Managing the workflow on site

To achieve the desired results for RCPs, the M&E design needed careful development as each floor had a different layout. Clear communication between everyone involved made this process efficient and straightforward. Alongside the design of the M&E an app was configured that connects to all the building’s systems, controlling energy usage, managing access control and helping the building work smarter and more efficiently for its occupiers.

Given the scale of this building refurbishment project and the fact we were working with the risks presented by a global pandemic, we carefully considered the optimum workflow management solution to safely accommodate a large number of people on-site at various times, completing different aspects of the work. We built temporary offices on the lower ground floor for our project management team and subcontractors and made sure we followed site operating procedures to minimise the risks associated with COVID-19 in addition to our usual strict health and safety protocols.  These measures enabled progress to continue on-site despite these challenges.​

In the second part of this case study we are focusing on the reception, showers and landscaping works that made this building refurbishment project stand out in the Barbican area.