International consultancy Dar Group is to build a 185,000 sq ft mixed-used scheme, which will include a new HQ for the company, at 150 Holborn, EC1, as it looks to grow its business in the UK.
The new nine-storey building, which has full planning permission, will replace a 1980s office block and incorporates ground-floor retail and an adjacent residential block comprising 13 flats.
The building has been designed to bring a number of the Dar Group companies together under the same roof, including Dar, Perkins + Will, Currie & Brown, Elementa, IPA Advisory, Penspen and Maffeis, and is designed to encourage collaboration and the exchange of ideas between the group’s member companies.
Andrew Loudon, UK managing director for Dar, said: “Our new HQ in Holborn is a demonstration of commitment to the UK by Dar. We are delighted to be developing our premises in this dynamic, exciting and developing area of London. We view London and the UK as a key area of our business in supporting our global clients and are actively pursuing a number of opportunities to further grow our business.
“In addition to growing our business in the UK, we will be focusing on creating local employment opportunities and engaging with the local community to encourage awareness of design and engineering through educational collaboration.”
Perkins + Will, the architect and designer of the building, is targeting a range of sustainability measures for the development, including BREEAM Excellent, LEED Platinum, and SKA Gold.
The office block’s façade uses glass reinforced concrete, which complements similar, concrete materials visible in the area, and the residential building has a matching façade and solid black panels, further ensuring visual continuity.
On the inside, the building will feature a central entrance lobby, which includes a street facing café, exhibition and reception space, an atrium with feature stair, and roof pavilion with roof gardens.
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