CASE STUDY | BLOOM CLERKENWELL OFFICES The peak of health To tempt workers back to the office, developers have to deliver healthy workplaces that score highly on sustainability and smart technology. Andy Pearson looks at post-pandemic office design at Bloom Clerkenwell A s far as building certifications go, Bloom Clerkenwell has pretty much got the lot. This brand new office was certified Well Platinum (shell & core) in June 2022, Breeam Outstanding in May 2022, and WiredScore Platinum in 2019. According to its developer, HB Reavis, it is the first commercial building in the UK to achieve the top level in all three certifications. Bloom Clerkenwells accreditations appear to exemplify what the postpandemic office building is about: workspaces that prioritise wellbeing; high levels of sustainability; and enhanced user experience through technology and services. The building set out to meet these targets from the start, which is an impressive achievement and one that shows acute foresight on the part of the developer, particularly given that the building was designed before the pandemic. The client had bought into those targets when we were first involved with the project in 2018, and they had a significant influence on the approach and criteria for our MEP design, says Lee Hargreaves, associate director at Buro Happold, the projects MEP and structural engineer. The seven-storey, 18,000m2 building is mostly offices, with some retail at ground level. Designed by John Robertson Architects, its faades feature a regular grid of rectangular glazing, which is given added impact on its Cowcross Street elevation by a bright-red, four-storey projection. Above the projection, floors four, six and seven have private terraces, providing external workspaces. There is also a communal terrace, accessible to all, on level seven. Below ground, the single-storey basement features a gym, cycle storage, and changing and shower facilities. The basement also incorporates some plant and tank space, although space is limited because the building sits directly over Londons Farringdon Elizabeth Line station. In response to its over-station location, the building has been designed with a relatively light structure of steel columns supporting castellated beams, through which the building services had to be threaded. We made extensive use of BIM throughout this project, which facilitated precise coordination across the project teams it has a generous floor-tofloor height, helped by the integration of services within the structural zone, Hargreaves explains. Occupants enter the building through a ground-floor entrance; the first floor is split into two fully fitted-out Category B offices, while floors two to seven have a Category A, shell and core fit-out. The most challenging Well requirement was to deliver the circa 30% enhanced fresh air rate, because that required additional coordination, more space for the 50 September 2022 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Sept 22 pp50-52 Bloom healthy office Supp.indd 50 26/08/2022 13:58