Multistory is the bringing together of two separate buildings (formerly 2 Colmore Square and Cannon House) to create one exceptional workspace featuring Birmingham’s largest amenity space that ties together communal areas for inhabitation on a work and social basis.
The key improvements that have been made as part of this project include, 2 new receptions for a best-in-class arrival experience, the introduction of a 100-person Auditorium, new lifts with destination control, a bar/coffee lounge, an outdoor terrace, communal bookable meeting rooms, generous co-working areas, new car EV charging points, best in class cycle storage and outstanding showers and changing facilities. Multistory is setting the new benchwork for Sustainability, achieving WiredScore Platinum, Fitwel 2 star and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of ‘B’.
Air soured heat pumps provide the heating and cooling to the amenity areas with heat recovery air handling unit providing fresh air. White box retail units are provided at ground floor level with larger retail units within the lower ground level. The two levels are linked with a grand staircase.
Sustainability initiatives include LED lighting with occupancy detection and daylight dimming controls, solar thermal hot water heating, air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels, resulting in an EPC rating of A and a Very Good rating under BREEAM New Construction (Industrial) 2014.
The refurbishment provides office space, along with the ground floor being granted A1 retail use. High-level exposed services were designed to give an industrial warehouse feel. The offices are heated and cooled by independent variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air source heat pump systems and illuminated by suspended linear LED fittings.
The Practice was responsible for designing the complete refurbishment of the mechanical, electrical and public health services to all of the guest rooms, together with the penthouse units in The Claridge’s Hotel.
1 Blyth Gate, Birmingham is a three-story office development in Solihull. It boasts a triple height reception and the amenity spaces within the business park in which the development sits offer excellent views of the surrounding area. The building has been provided with additional showers and cycling facilities to assist in promoting sustainable travel methods to work and drive down carbon emissions.
Saffron House was refurbished to provide 38,000ft² of high quality office accommodation. Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering which saw the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd floor including the ground floor reception of Saffron House converted into open plan office areas and reception.
The development is an 12 storey building comprising 13,475m2 (NIA) of office area over basement to eleventh floor and 141m2 of retail area located on ground floor.