25 Canada Square
27/01/2022 by Buildington

Citi has unveiled the plans to transform Citi Tower, home to its UK and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) operations, into a workplace of the future, incorporating the latest technology and the highest standards of environmental design.

The refurbished building will feature flexible work and collaboration spaces, alongside well-being zones for employees.

David Livingstone, Citi’s EMEA CEO, commented: “Our aim is to create an environmentally sustainable, innovative and exciting place to work, incorporating modern design, state-of-the-art technology, and best practices in employee and client spaces. Citi Tower is a significant investment in our people and our growing business in the UK and the broader EMEA region.”

We’re a business of energy and ideas, and we thrive on bringing people together,” said Livingstone. “Our rejuvenated EMEA headquarters will be designed to maximise collaborative work-spaces, supported by technology, to enable us to work flexibly and with maximum agility.”

The renovation is expected to be completed in 2025.

John Glen MP, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, added: “We are delivering on our roadmap for ensuring the UK remains a world leader in financial services by making it more open, more competitive, more technologically advanced, and more sustainable. This welcome investment from Citi in its London HQ is another vote of confidence in the City and its role as one of the preeminent international finance hubs.”

The decision to refurbish the building and bring it up to modern efficiency and environmental standards instead of demolishing the existing structure is expected to save the release of an estimated 100,000 tonnes of embodied carbon. Updating infrastructure and implementing efficiency measures will also minimise electricity consumption and reduce water consumption by 20%.

Citi Tower is among the largest workplace refurbishment projects in Europe and the bank will be applying for the project to become the UK’s tallest office refurbishment project to gain high-level LEED, WELL and BREEAM certifications.

Yasmin Al Ani Spence, Director at architectural firm WilkinsonEyre, lead designer of the project, commented: “Citi challenged us to make a 20-year-old tower compatible with its vision for the future of work. Our architectural interventions will hopefully inspire both staff and visitors to Citi. Well-being has been put at the heart of the project by introducing innovative collaboration spaces, enhanced connection, state-of-the-art amenities, and impactful access to greenery, promoting biophilia. The internal layouts are anchored around a number of vertical villages, which break down the traditional floorplates and encourage inter-connection between levels, creating a stimulating and exciting place to work.”

Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf Group added: “I am delighted Citi is making a long-term commitment to Canary Wharf as a dynamic and sustainable urban environment in which to work, live and play. With our commitment to sustainability and our track record as the UK’s largest developer of sustainable space, it is exciting to see Citi’s initiative to transformation its site.”

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