Aldgate Tower

Philip Durrant

• Architects

B-F have designed a new arrival to Aldgate Tower that provides a space that has a response to Place, Community & Culture. The design provides a juxtaposition to the urban setting, a place for pause, social connection, sense of belonging and inclusivity.

To add value to the tenants we have activated the Ground Floor by creating a destination to support a range of activities, typologies and settings.

photo_credit Philip Durrant — Philip Durrant

Brookfield Properties UK, approached Basha-Franklin to refresh and reinvigorate 2 Leman Street, Aldgate Tower to relaunch this portfolio building to market. The existing ground floor experience needed to be updated to compete for tenants with a growth of new developments in this up and coming city fringe location. The 5,000 sq ft ground floor space is elevated from street level, it was under-utilised by the building community and lacked identity and presence. The sheer volume of the double height lobby space was austere and disconnected.

Basha-Franklin knew that in such a vibrant, well-connected location the building needed a worthy identity and user experience to reflect these positives to anchor the building to its location and community. The team established a strategic design brief to activate the space, strengthening the building identity and creating a desirable, inviting lobby experience. The user experience strategy was key to providing a social, collaborative space with flexibility and increased appeal to a diverse range of occupiers. The ground floor now has the added value to tenants as they can use the ground floor as an extension to their own office space.

Throughout the material palette the contextual relevance is visible. The use of ceramic and brick is a representation of the iconic Brick Lane and a nod to the east end tube art. The metal feature canopies link to the historic metal crafting. The feature canopies are the focal point on each arrival and maximises the impact of the unique volume of the space. The location is a long-term transient gateway, an eclectic hot pot of culture, craft and art. Basha-Franklin successfully capture this in a contemporary and delightful interior experience, filled with light, colour and surprise.

The design concept established a space to respond to place, community, craft & culture. Basha-Franklin’s design solution embraces the vibrant culture and history of the area reinventing this to create an immersive human centred environment expressing texture, colour and biophilic solutions.

The connection to nature in the space is a juxtaposition to the urban setting. Natural light floods into the ground floor through the 7m high glazing. By introducing light reflective material qualities throughout the design, the connection to the outdoors is enhanced in an uplifting and calming environment. The new ground floor space supports a range of activities that creates a naturally inviting and welcoming destination for tenants and visitors.