1970s Seifert designed office tower set for demolition

A 1970s Seifert-designed office block with 26 floors near Liverpool Street station is set to be replaced with a 53-story office tower.

Visualisation of the new tower – amended from original source RSHP / Planning application

According to the planning application, the replacement building will be split into two, with the main office block sitting next to a smaller, separate “cultural building” that will include a gallery, hall, and workspaces.

Part of the argument put forward by the developer for demolition is that the floor heights are low by modern office standards, both for light and comfort, but also for underfloor facilities. Although most of the tower would be demolished, they plan to reuse the foundations and basements to reduce the impact of the development. In total, they expect to be able to retain about a quarter of the current structure and nearly half of the embedded carbon.

Within the steel structure of the main office block, it will be broken up by three-storey high winter gardens, which the tenants will use, but not the public – unless arrangements are made as part of the planning application or for the Open House Festival.

Upper terrace – Source RSHP / Planning application

The design will slightly copy the concept used at the “cheesegrater” office block, with the main lifts and stairs located on the outer wall of the replacement building, leaving more floor space inside for the tenants.

It will also follow the trend of having a very high atrium space on the ground floor, with escalators up to the office entrance. This, apart from creating a grand entrance to the office, also opens up a lot more ground-floor space for pedestrian use.

Ground floor space – Source RSHP / Planning application

Sitting next to the new office will be a separate cultural building they’re calling Open Gate — as it’s open and faces towards Bishopsgate corner.

The overall effect, as far people who wont be working inside the building is concerned, will be to remove a building that has nothing of note at street level and quite narrow pavements, and replace it with a more asethetically interesting building to walk past, and also one with ground floor facilities open to the public.

Opening up more of the pavement space will also create a new passageway around the back of the building, which is currently blocked off. While that’s an improvement in access, the cost will be the demolition of one of the remaining sections of the 1960s Pedway that spans Wormwood Street.

It’s closed off and not in use, but still a notable feature of the area.

The planning application for 99 Bishopsgate is now with the City of London.