Developer Endurance Land has submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Islington for the overhaul the Inmarsat headquarters building at 99 City Road next to Old Street Station and the roundabout.

The redesign, by renowned architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), plans to transform the building into a high-end workspace, contributing significantly to the public domain and creating an emblematic presence in the heart of London's Tech City.

Architect KPF has a long history of designing innovative and award-winning buildings. Some of the most iconic buildings in London include The Scalpel, Salesforce Tower and Amazon HQ Sixty London.

The proposal promises substantial enhancements to pedestrian accessibility, including pavement expansion, elimination of troublesome bottlenecks, and the creation of a new public square at the intersection of City Road and Old Street. This will serve as a welcoming point that harmonises with the redeveloped Old Street station.

The design for the ground floor is open to the public and is intended to serve the community with dedicated spaces for cost-free use, cultural events, and curated activities.

The current building was erected in the early '90s, functioning as the headquarters for Inmarsat, who is moving to 50 Finsbury Square in 2024.

The building's redesign includes the addition of a new core and extra levels, forming a hybrid structure that offers a premium workspace. At least 10% of the Gross Internal Area (GIA) office expansion will be allocated as an affordable workspace – effectively doubling the existing provision across the Borough.

A large part of the existing building, including the foundations and basement, will be preserved. This strategy is aimed at delivering a workplace capable of adapting to future needs, minimising the project's environmental footprint and reducing construction traffic.

The design takes inspiration from nearby Victorian architecture, with serrated facades that accommodate natural ventilation, enhance shading efficiency, and add a dynamic element to the exterior design. Distributed plant rooms allow maximum allocation for rooftop gardens and terraces. A design of folded planes, sensitive to its context and reducing environmental impacts, creates a unique building at Old Street "Square about", bringing new, adaptable workspace to Islington.

The prospective 34-storey building (plus ground floor) will be 153.215 AGL and encompass 64,873m2. The building is set to meet some of the most rigorous sustainability standards, targeting embodied carbon of less than 600kgCO2/m2 and aiming for BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS 5*, and WELL Core Platinum certifications.

Jonathan Fletcher, CEO of Endurance Land, commented: “From the beginning, the main objectives of the redevelopment have been to upgrade and modernize the existing building through its design, sustainability credentials, and connection to the local community. The submitted proposal unlocks the potential of the site by delivering a world-class, landmark office building that’s tailored to Islington and Old Street.”

John Bushell, Design Principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, added: “99 City Road is an ambitious scheme with many community benefits and the latest in a series of KPF transformation projects. The massing and materiality of the design was informed by the local context. Working closely with AKT II, the structural engineers, we’re retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, and significantly increasing the GIA. Improvements to the public realm and the provision of affordable workplace and community space will deliver a real benefit to the Borough.”

Planning application submitted to Islington Council 17.04.2023:

Partial demolition and redevelopment to erect a building up to 35 storeys (plus basement), comprising increased office floor space (Class E[g]); commercial floorspace (Class E); a multi-purpose flexible space (Sui Generis); flexible Commercial / Community Uses (Class E/ F1); alterations to and formation of new landscaping, public realm, plant, cycle storage, servicing and delivery space and other associated works. (DEPARTURE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN) 

Islington Council ref. no. P2023/1070/FUL.

Developer: Endurance Land

Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox

Planning Consultant: DP9

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