Workplace and retrofit entries for Future Cities Forum Awards 2024

Image: courtesy of HOK

Future Cities Forum has entered Arup's new offices at One Centenary Way, Paradise, Birmingham, designed by architects HOK, into our awards for 'workplace' and Smithfield Market's roof restoration project, City of London, into the retrofit category. Our Winter 2024 Awards are due to be judged this week.

High quality workplace design has become increasingly important to attract new talent and current employees back into the office following Covid. HOK says it designed Arup’s new office in Birmingham to showcase inclusivity, flexibility and sustainability while serving as a model for the future of work. Spanning three floors in the One Centenary Way building, the workplace accommodates over 900 people. It is one of the largest for Arup, a collective of 20,000 designers, advisers and experts working across 140 countries.

HOK states:

'The workplace includes a variety of settings to support different work styles, addressing spatial awareness, acoustics and lighting. These environments range from independent focus stations to large-scale social spaces, supporting employees across a wide neurodiverse spectrum. An unassigned seating strategy empowers employees to choose environments that best suit their daily needs, with options to book consistent spots or move between different areas and desk types.

'A sophisticated circadian lighting system adapts to the time of day and seasonal changes, with varying light levels to accommodate different sensitivities. Areas of naturally lower lighting use local desk lamps to offer more subdued illumination. SMART technology enhances the neuro-inclusive design with customizable lighting, temperature controls and CO2 monitoring. Digital totems display occupancy heat maps and environmental data, helping staff select suitable workspaces.

'The open-plan design fosters visual connectivity, allowing teams to stay connected without feeling siloed. Meeting rooms are strategically placed to avoid blocking natural light. The innovative acoustic design includes absorbent materials and an exposed ceiling, reflecting Arup’s engineering principles while controlling sound in open areas.

'Biophilic elements throughout the space promote well-being and cognitive function. Extensive plantings, natural materials, and a nature-inspired colour palette enhance urban greening. Views of nature are provided where possible.

'Dedicated Mindfulness Zones featuring abundant plant life, natural light, and city views provide peaceful areas away from busy workspaces. Additional wellness-focused amenities include a parents’ room, wudu and prayer spaces, and a general well-being area.

'A focal point of the studio is the flexible ‘Paradise Suite,’ designed to enhance Arup’s sports and social program with weekly Pilates and other events for groups of 15-75 people. The floor plan incorporates work-from-home amenities, including breakout spaces for educational and physical activities and full showers for commuters.

'The project minimized embodied carbon through the use of natural and recycled materials. One Centenary Way is the first all-electric building in the Paradise development. The office is projected to fall below U.K. Green Building Council operational targets for 2025-2030 by 10%. The WELL Platinum certification aligns with Arup’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon by 2030.

The ground floor serves as a flexible “shop window,” introducing Birmingham’s diverse communities to Arup and the built environment. It also functions as as a community hub for special events, supporting the city’s arts, culture and STEM education.

'The new office has transformed Arup’s workplace culture and employee engagement, with a 10 percent increase in office attendance and a noticeable rise in social activities. The project received a Best Workplace Fit-Out award at the 2024 British Council for Offices Midlands and Central England Awards.'

HOK collaborated with MEPC as the developer, Howells as the building architect and Overbury as the fit-out specialist.

Above: Smithfield Market buildings, City of London

In our retrofit category, Smithfield Market's roof restoration project has been entered. The City of London Corporation says the project 'marks the successful completion of Smithfield’s Poultry Market dome roof restoration, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the historic Smithfield Markets site into a state-of-the-art new museum.'

In 2016, an international design competition paved the way for the Museum of London's relocation to the iconic former Smithfield Markets. Designed by Stanton Williams and Asif Khan, working together with conservation architects Julian Harrap, the project is recasting the late Victorian General Market and 1960s Poultry Market to provide a world class 21st Century museum experience. The copper roof of the Poultry Market is a key architectural feature of the build and its restoration, completed by contractors Full Metal Jacket, has been funded by the City of London Corporation.

Above: image of the copper roof above the Poultry Market at Smithfield courtesy of the City of London Corporation

Designed in the early 1960s by TP Bennet & Son architects, with structural engineering by Ove Arup & Partners, the Poultry Market's dome roof measures 70m by 40m internally and was the largest single-span concrete roof in Europe at the time of its construction.

The City of London Corporation states:

'Julian Harrap Architects (JHA), leading the restoration effort on the roof of the Grade II listed site in collaboration with Stanton Williams, Arup and FBM Architects, have successfully addressed the challenges posed by the deteriorating copper roof and concrete structure.

'The four-year-long restoration effort involved a comprehensive assessment of damages and the implementation of modern technologies to enhance the roof's thermal performance. Noteworthy improvements include the replacement of the original 0.5mm copper sheets with more durable 0.7mm ones, and the installation of high-performance, double-glazed rooflights to meet rigorous museum requirements.'

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