When Westfield Specialty, a leading insurance and underwriting firm, sought to relocate their London office to the prestigious 22 Bishopsgate, the firm turned to EDGE and Structure Tone to handle the design and construction of their new workplace. Aiming to complete the single-floor, 26,000sf fit-out in just 23 weeks, the Westfield Specialty team opted for a two-stage Design & Build project delivery approach.
Located on the 36th floor of 22 Bishopsgate, the new office for Westfield Specialty offers panoramic views of the city. Designed by EDGE, the fit-out includes high-end amenities such as a reception area, a broker’s lounge, meeting rooms, a pantry and executive boardroom suites.
WHY DESIGN-BUILD?
The two-stage Design & Build project delivery method, where design and construction services are contracted by a single entity, has gained popularity over the last few years. This approach fosters collaboration, reduces risk, and often leads to faster project delivery.
For Westfield Specialty, this method was the key to delivering project’s original design intent while staying on schedule.
Westfield Specialty’s Design & Build approach was driven by a need for efficiency and precision. With a clear deadline for relocating from their temporary office, meeting Westfield Specialty’s target move-in date was critical. Design Manager at Structure Tone London, Evelyn Gono, actually worked with the architecture firm responsible for the concept, EDGE, during the project and offers a unique perspective on the benefits of this approach. Now on the contracting side, she recalls the fast-tracked program and complex design.
DELIVERING THE VISION
“Structure Tone played a crucial role in closing out outstanding design items due to their early engagement,” says Gono. “We managed to meet the project completion date on time while delivering quality within the client’s budget.
Bringing the contractor on early allows for constructability reviews and value engineering (VE) to begin while finalizing the design. A fine example of how early collaboration resolved one of the main design challenges was the coordination of services above the meeting suites. Working closely with the client design team and subcontractors, Structure Tone was able to decrease the number of access panels and seamlessly integrate the sprinkler systems. “For a fast-paced project like Westfield Specialty, having design and construction teams work together is essential,” says Gono.
As an insurance company, Westfield Specialty had specific preferences for finishes and furniture. According to Gono, “Value engineering often has a negative connotation, perceived as compromising the original design with cheaper alternatives. However, VE can enhance a project’s success when approached strategically and collaboratively. In this case, we tackled problems thoughtfully. VE is a powerful tool for ensuring a project’s success by focusing on collaboration, early specialist engagement, and maintaining design integrity. Instead of viewing VE as mere cost-cutting, it should be embraced as a strategy for delivering better outcomes for all stakeholders.”
For Westfield Specialty, lead time was crucial. With a fast tracked schedule and high-end design, the two-stage Design & Build approach allowed teams to find alternative materials that arrived in time for installation, maintaining Westfield Specialty’s high-end vision.
PROJECT DETAILS
Location: London
Size: 26,000sf
Client: Westfield Specialty
Architect: EDGE
Sector: Commercial
THE EXTRA MILE
Beyond completing and delivering the design, the Structure Tone team faced several challenges during the construction phase. One of the project’s main challenges was the building management’s two per-week limit on deliveries, which the Structure Tone team skilfully managed by using a consolidation centre, maintaining a precise delivery lookahead, and building a strong relationship with the building management team. In addition, extensive out of hours work ensured the space was finished on time for the Westfield Specialty team to move in. The project reached practical completion in March 2024.
Feedback from Westfield Specialty praised the quality of workmanship, the team’s passion, and their swift delivery.
“In the end, we delivered on time and met the high-end quality Westfield Specialty envisioned from day one,” Gono concludes.