Unveiled in an entirely finished
state back in mid-2010, Central St Giles is a building that can be summed up as
brave, bold and an incredibly fun. Envisaged as a mixed-use property – composed
of two 15-storey structures – it offers Covent Garden office space, apartments
and a number of spots dedicated to retail amenities, cafes and restaurants –
providing it with an considerable edge over many of the other buildings
offering Covent Garden office space.
One of the first things many people
notice about Central St Giles, whilst in the Covent Garden area, is the array
of strikingly vibrant colours on display. Though London is home to many a
spectacular office building – The Shard and The Gherkin to name just two – very
few of them boast as much colour as Central St Giles. Its ceramic cladding, in
shades of orange, lime, yellow and red, stands out brightly even on the dullest
of London mornings.
The building features 408,000 sq ft
of Covent Garden office space and boasts an excellent BREEAM (BRE environmental
assessment method) rating. However, somewhat more uniquely this Covent Garden
office space has been designed with the environment in mind – despite the
remarks detractors might make about its joy-evoking facades.
In excess of 60 per cent of the
rain water that falls on the roof and roof terraces of this Covent Garden
office space is collected; this collected water is put to good use too – being
distributed to the greenery on the terraces and the plants and trees planted at
ground level via a sophisticated irrigation system.
Similarly Central St Giles is
served by a heating system that also takes the environment into consideration.
It has been estimated that more than three quarters of the heat generated in
the building is generated in a system powered by renewable fuels – namely wood
pellets.
With its environmental principles
clear for all to see, it isn’t all that unsurprising that much of the Covent
Garden office space on offer at Central Saint Giles has been snapped up by some
of the world’s biggest companies including search engine behemoth, Google –
whose quirky, ultra employee-friendly office has been the subject of much envy
from many workers across the United Kingdom.
However, as well as offering high
quality Covent Garden office space for firms to take up, Central St Giles also
benefits from the wonderful selection of restaurants that flank its courtyard.
Offering gourmet burgers, specialist Brazilian cuisine, sandwiches made with homemade
breads and healthier options, these
restaurants are perfectly positioned for employees to go and enjoy a
mouth-watering meal after a day in the building, or even grab a quick
bite-to-eat during a lunch break.
The
courtyard itself follows the themes of playfulness displayed in the finish of
the Central St Giles’ Covent Garden office space. Seating areas and benches
make the process of thought gathering, or even just enjoying a brief break very
easy. The trees and plants are complemented by a rather eye-catching sculpture
– known as Ob8 – and one that’s a little more natural, simply named William.
Although a
relatively new building, Central St Giles’ mix of high-end Covent Garden office
space and amazing restaurants is only likely to attract more businesses;
ultramodern and vibrant, this Covent Garden office space could also have a
considerable influence on the way workplaces are designed in years to come.
A building designed by Renzo Piano,
Central St Giles was finished in May 2010. This article examines the main
features and benefits that this CoventGarden office space has to offer.
