The 215,000sf scheme is 3XN GXN’s second project to receive planning approval in London this year.
The Mark has recently been given the planning green light by the City of London. The project, developed in close collaboration with clients PineBridge Benson Elliot, development manager Hobart Partners, and local architect ORMS, combines high quality office space with a public program, most notable being a Centre for Learning and Heritage (a digital exhibition space in the building for arts and culture).
“The Mark has been a special project to work on, challenging us to create a new building that is in harmony with its historic surroundings,” says Senior Partner Audun Opdal. “The buildings that surround our site tell the story of London’s history, from the Tower of London to Leadenhall Market to the Walkie Talkie. Architecture should always be rooted in its context and location; with this project, we wanted to repair and enhance the site’s relationship to its context.”
The massing, proportions, and material palette of the project (which comprises the 215,000sqf of office space and 14,000sqf of cultural, food, + retail space) takes cues from its context, fusing four architectural blocks into a single floorplate and slipping it seamlessly amidst its historic neighbors. This includes a re-imagining of the existing public realm, with the new Byward Street Plaza which will increase urban greening and improve the quality of the pedestrian experience. The Mark also boasts accessible outdoor space on all floors and has some of London’s best panoramic views, reaching from Tower Bridge to London Bridge to modern landmarks such as 20 Fenchurch Street and The Shard. The terraces will be open to both building occupants and a controlled part of the terraces to the public.
The project has been cooperatively developed between from 3XN’s London and Copenhagen studios, with Studio Director Luke Ritson leading the project through the design and planning process. “Successful projects start with great briefs,” says Studio Director Luke Ritson. “…and from the outset our clients’ brief for The Mark was progressive, sustainable and aspirational and has led, with support from some of the world’s leading designers and an openly iterative approach to design with the City, to a building that offers much to London and to the local community.”
The project team, working together with GXN (an independent research consultancy linked to 3XN), AKT II, and Atelier Ten, led a comprehensive assessment of the condition, adaptability, and materiality of the existing buildings at the beginning of the project, seeking opportunities to maximise the retention of existing elements and identifying opportunities for upcycling and direct reuse with the proposed development. The new building will provide an occupant focused environment aiming to achieve Well Platinum, BREEAM Outstanding and a minimum 5-star Nabers rating. Working to the UKGBC framework we will aim to achieve Net Zero carbon in operation and have a target embodied carbon of less than 500 Kg Co2/m2, making it one of London’s lowest concrete embodied carbon new builds to date.
Following on from planning approval, development is due to start on The Mark in 2024 with completion projected for 2026, with BH2 and Knight Frank acting as joint letting agents.
3XN GXN also received planning permission for another London project, 65 Crutched Friars, in early 2023; the studio is also currently working on 2 Finsbury Avenue and Euston Tower in London with developer British Land.
