As summer approaches and the weather improves, London’s parks are buzzing with people looking for a spot to enjoy the sun. Many of those competing for a blade of grass to sit on are office workers, nipping out at lunchtime to grab a ray or two.

We British have long enjoyed talking about the weather, but access to outdoor space in which to relish it is also now high on the agenda of property developers and agents considering the future of office design.

It’s widely acknowledged that any mixed-use development should have a focus on place-making. Access to outdoor space and improved public realm is a key part of this.

Offices that can provide easy access to outdoor space have always attracted a premium, with floors boasting their own terraces achieving higher rents than those without. However, these private terraces, by and large, have been used for client entertainment, whereas occupiers today want proximity to outdoor space to meet their wellbeing initiatives. In response, developers are prioritising a greater number of communal and private terraces, roof gardens and street level public realm and occupiers  are increasingly finding new ways to use these spaces, whether for outdoor meetings, yoga classes or cinema screenings.

One such example is Buckingham Green, SW1, pictured, which will provide a quarter of an acre of public realm centred around a large pedestrianised square and a newly planted gingko tree. Only a two-minute walk from St James’s Park, Buckingham Green also offers unrivalled access to one of the capital’s favourite green spaces. In addition, one of the three office buildings – No. 3 Buckingham Green – offers a roof garden, expansive terrace and contemporary loggia exclusively for its tenants. 

By prioritising outdoor space London & Oriental hopes to attract a wide range of occupiers, while also encouraging people to spend more time enjoying the local ameneties and new public space.

Buckingham Green will provide 55,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, 11,000 sq ft of retail and 64 luxury apartments across three buildings. In addition, the abundance of improved public realm will help to create a new West End destination between the tranquillity of St James’s and the vibrancy of Victoria. It provides a template for other developers to follow in how to incorporate outdoor space into their office schemes.

Further information 

Read more: West End Office Market Watch – May 2018