Property investment firm Lazari Investments wanted its London headquarters to be a landmark in the city, so creating a street-front that made a statement was a key priority when the business decided to invest in a large-scale redevelopment project for the building.
The refurbishment set out to establish a new standard in workplace design, creating an office building focused on the needs of today’s hybrid workforce, with as much emphasis on socialising and fun as on collaborative work. The building enjoys a commanding position on Henrietta Place between Welbeck Street and Wimpole Street in the desirable west-end Marylebone area.
The company wanted to maximise the presence of the building at street level, so design and architecture studio, MoreySmith created a two-storey retail-style glazed façade that would grab the attention of passersby and help draw people into the building.
To provide clear views in and out of the building, architects MoreySmith opted to use 6 and 8 mm-thick Pilkington Suncool™ OW glass, installed by glazing specialist Vitrine Systems.
This glass uses a Pilkington Optiwhite™ substrate, a true low-iron glazing that provides the visual clarity demanded by architects, and virtually eliminates the green tint traditionally associated with float glass.
A Pilkington Suncool™ 70/35 OW coating was specified to reduce the risk of excessive solar gain inside the building and the reliance on air-conditioning, to provide a comfortable internal climate all year round. Maximising the environmental performance of the building was a key goal and the scheme has been awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating.
The new headquarters places a major focus on employee wellbeing, and maximising natural light was a big part of this. To that end, the architect designed two large, glazed atria at the rear of the building that allows sunlight to flow deep into the floorplans.
Anthony Williams, associate director at installer Vitrine Systems said: “This building is an outstanding showcase of how glazing can help create inviting and inspiring spaces that draw people in and help them feel happy while they work and socialise.
“It’s the latest in a long line of projects we’ve delivered in collaboration with Pilkington UK, and the outstanding quality of the products, backed up by excellent technical support, make them the supplier of choice for demanding schemes such as this.”
Jason Eggerton, UK specifications sales manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, part of the NSG Group, said: “Architectural glazing is a fantastic way of showcasing a building and maximising sightlines and also bringing natural light into interiors, something that has been shown to have massive wellbeing and productivity benefits.
“As this building demonstrates, by choosing the right specification of glass it’s possible to reap these major benefits without compromising on environmental performance.”
Henrietta House is home to 2,000 staff and features inspirational workspaces across five floors, two wellness studios, a wide range of digital smart features, a café, facilities for parents and more.
Why it matters: The dominance of glass in so many landmark buildings draws attention to the properties of the glazing. Often the ‘green tint’ of the building detracts from its design and often makes the structure unpopular. In this case, the specification carefully addressed many design considerations – including the visual characteristics of glass. The resultant clarity enhances the feeling of light and space.
