The plan

The City of London Corporation has been working on the City Plan 2040 for years. It is a key document that sets out the goals for future developments in the area. A significant part of it is the objective to build 1.2 million square metres of new office space to support future growth and avoid a supply crunch.

Significantly, the City Plan would allow new skyscrapers to be built in two key clusters in the City. According to the contours in the document, the maximum tall heights in a cluster at the east end would be 300m. The cluster at the west end would be more modest, just 90m.

Alternatives

While it is clear the City needs more commercial architecture, Historic England was critical of the Corporation’s plans. They had concerns about the impact on the Tower of London UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crucially, they had fears that the skyline and views of it would suffer, harming the value.

Historic England submitted alternative contours for the clusters. Critically, they had much shorter heights, particularly at the east end, aiming to preserve the skyline. The Planning Inspectorate had to consider these plans, comparing them to the Corporation’s.

Towards the end of September the Planning Inspectorate made their decision. Significantly, they sided with the City Plan. While accepting that Historic England’s proposals would have “a modest heritage benefit in certain views”, the lower heights would have a bigger negative impact. They would dramatically reduce the amount of floorspace, even to the point where it could harm the viability.

Ultimately, the Planning Inspectorate said the original City Plan would achieve the best results. It will maximise the delivery of new commercial architecture to allow the city to grow. At the same time, it won’t have a negative impact on the Tower of London.

What will happen now?

The decision means things can get moving once again. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook withdrew a direction from earlier in the summer that asked for the plans to be re-examined. The City Plan can now proceed towards getting approval and introduction, potentially before the end of 2026. Once that happens, we could see plans begin to come forward to build new skyscrapers in the City of London. This could lead to job creation and economic growth.

It’s also worth noting that Historic England released a statement acknowledging the decision. Positively, they said they are willing to work with all partners “to achieve an appropriate balance” of allowing growth while preserving London’s heritage.

Do you need help with commercial architecture?

The City could look very different by 2040. Crucially, it could become home to many more skyscrapers of modern offices. It’s important to ensure supply will be able to keep up with demand here, ensuring London remains one of the most significant centres for business in the world.

If you’re looking to create commercial architecture, including outstanding high spec offices, you can rely on us. We’ve got plenty of experience. In fact, we’ve designed some notable award winning properties. You can have a look at some of them in our portfolio to get a feeling for what we can do. Remember though, we’re always creative and ready to try new things.

Get in touch if you have any questions for us or want to get things started on your own project.

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Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge the drive for reusability and a circular economy. All you need to do is look at the popularity of refurbishment projects in London. A Deloitte survey in 2021 found that 54% of office development projects in the city were refurbs. By 2025, it had risen to 66%. It’s a great choice for many situations, especially when the core buildings are still useful.

Preservation

The big reason reuse and refurb is so popular is it helps to preserve culture and history. You can do this in two ways; by preserving cultural properties and reusing materials. The latter can actually contain a surprising amount of heritage value. So, if you’re not looking to reuse the entire building, potentially because it isn’t significant enough to warrant protection, you can still save some of the value by reusing things like columns, beams, and other materials.

Briefs

If you’re thinking about reuse, it’s absolutely crucial you make it prominent in the brief. It should be the focus from the start, ensuring everything aligns to maximise reusability. It can provide better results for any property, including commercial architecture. Critically, you can ensure every decision links back to the brief.

Longevity

Another key thing to think about, and even include in the brief, is a nod to longevity. It’s no longer acceptable to design buildings that won’t be usable in 10 or 20 years. That is inefficient, bad for the environment, and a problem for local people. Instead, the idea from the start should be to make sure they will still be viable long into the future, even if it requires adapting the property. Ensure the design is flexible and adaptable so the building can easily be something else.

The financial benefits

One thing that often holds back projects and deters people from reuse is it can cost more to explore the building and materials, develop plans, test, and ensure everything meets the relevant standards. It can be worse with complex properties like commercial architecture. However, that isn’t the end of the story. There can actually be a lot of money in it. For example, there can be big savings if you can reuse key things like the facade and structural elements.

If you think about reuse from the start of a project, the long term financial benefits can be even greater. For example, think of the building as a store of components that will be easy to remove and reuse in the future. Make sure they will be intact and suitable for use on other projects.

Speak to us about your ideas for commercial architecture

There are lots of opportunities for reuse and creating a better built environment. In fact, some of the most inventive designs start off as existing structures. So, it’s important to see what could be.

If you’re considering commercial architecture, we’d love to hear your ideas. Coffey Architects is a fantastic resource, providing outstanding support and first rate services. Get in touch today and let’s get started.

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The challenge

All buildings need plant to provide heating and other key services. In single buildings it is relatively easy to decide what to do; calculate the demand curve and ensure you can satisfy it. It means plant decisions are usually quite simple.

Unfortunately, it is more challenging with mixed use buildings. You will likely find there are multiple demand curves. Homes tend to peak in the morning and evening, every single day (higher in winter). Offices generally peak a little later in the morning on weekdays (again higher in winter), but go quiet overnight and at weekends. Retail can be similar, depending on the opening hours. Therefore, it is harder to determine what kind of plant to use.

Two options

As we said, generally you can choose either central plant or distributed for mixed use buildings. Both have pros and cons. It’s best to discuss them with an architect to ensure you make the best decisions. So, speak to us about commercial architecture and other projects.

There is a strong case for central plant in many developments. The key thing here is, even though there are different demand curves, they typically don’t overlap. The load will likely be quite diverse and may not affect the maximum peaks. Therefore, a single plant may be sufficient. This provides several benefits too, including concentrating maintenance and improving efficiency. It does require more careful planning though.

Distributed plant means you have one for each use. So, homes would have one plant, offices another, etc. While this takes up more space, makes maintenance harder, and can make it more difficult to conceal the equipment, it does offer benefits. For one, it makes metering and billing easier. Plus, if there are issues with one plant, it only affects that system rather than the whole building. It also provides the ability to make changes to each plant independently.

It’s important to decide which option is best for the building, occupants, and energy efficiency. Do this early because it will have a big impact on the design. Whatever you choose, you need to ensure you create a large enough space for plant in a suitable, accessible location. Plus, you need to think about risers and flue routing if you’re using combustion plant. This should all be part of the initial designs, not something you try to fit in later.

Help with commercial architecture and more

Mixed use buildings are definitely here to stay. So, it’s important to design them to be as efficient as possible. The right decisions in terms of the plant will have a big impact. So, it is best to discuss them with an architect to fully explore the options and what they mean for designs.

If you need help with commercial architecture and other projects, you can rely on Coffey Architects. We can look at all kinds of spatial and organisational requirements, including plant. So, get in touch today.

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The problem

Precision is important with architecture. A lot of work goes into creating precise plans that detail exactly what is being built and where. This can include measurements accurate to the exact millimetre. However, people often fail to look beneath the ground. It can lead to significant problems.

Easily the biggest issue here is you could fail to identify the location of utilities. When the project gets up and running, there is a risk of damaging them during excavations. If that happens it could shutter the whole project. It could also cause significant costs to repair utilities like water or gas pipes.

Keep in mind there are bigger risks with previously developed sites in busy urban areas. For example, there could be extensive networks below the ground on any land that was once home to industrial or commercial architecture. Therefore, it is even more important to check and reduce the risk of issues.

Relying on records

If you do plan to explore what is going on below the ground, make sure you dig deep. Checking old records can be useful, but is rarely enough. You will likely need professional surveys.

The main thing to keep in mind is records are unlikely to be accurate. While they may have been at the time, there could have been movement since. Additionally, there could have been undocumented changes or new installations. There is always a chance the records are wrong or incomplete too.

It’s best to examine the ground conditions as early as possible in the design phase of a project. It can have a massive impact on what you can do. For example, it could limit the ability to excavate, build basement levels, and utilise different types of foundations. Plus, it can provide an idea of how easy it will be to connect to existing utilities.

Talk to us about commercial architecture or other projects

Planning is really important if you want to reduce the risk of problems on a project. It’s wise to get as much information as possible, including about above and below ground. You can then get a much clearer idea of what you can do, or will need to do before you can do anything else.

If you do have a project in mind, including commercial architecture, homes and housing, public buildings, or mixed use developments, you can rely on Coffey Architects. We’ve got a wealth of experience, a passionate team, and the ability to adapt to any requirements. Ultimately, we’ll give you the best support wherever and whenever you need it.

So, get in touch today if you have questions or want to start planning.

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Why are they popular?

Before we jump in, let’s look at why walkable cities are popular in the first place. The main factor is they can improve health and wellbeing. Walking regularly leads to healthier lifestyles. It means residents are active and get more fresh air. Plus, it increases the frequency of interactions with other people. This is crucial for preventing feelings of isolation and builds a stronger community.

On the subject of fresh air, walkable cities have much better air quality because there are fewer vehicles on the road. This has a big impact on health and wellbeing, and is outstanding for the environment too.

Designs

The core idea of walkable cities is the key things people need on a day to day basis should be reachable on foot. This includes all kinds of shops, schools, leisure, green space, health services, and even workplaces. The best way to do that is think about the layout and placement of different types of buildings, including housing as well as commercial architecture.

Ultimately, the focus here should be convenience. Go one step further than just making it possible to reach things on foot; make it convenient and easy to plan. If people are already heading out, ensure they can easily walk past shops to pick up groceries or a cafe to grab a coffee. If you reduce how many trips people need to take, you save them a lot of time. They can then use this to do more fun things, improving their wellbeing.

As we said above, one of the big benefits of walkable cities is the community. The design should provide numerous spaces to bring people together, including parks and plazas. Create space to encourage casual and chance interactions. Additionally, make sure you remember accessibility and cater for all kinds of age groups.

Finally, it’s vital to make sure you think about the future. Urban areas evolve over time as lifestyles change. We can see the problem many have by looking at empty shops on high streets and derelict buildings. To avoid this, design buildings with flexibility in mind, making it easy to adapt them. It allows change and growth rather than limiting it.

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The walkable cities philosophy endures because it can create places people want to live. Residents can be more active, more connected, and save on the amount of time they need to spend driving, sitting in traffic, or trying to find a parking space. At the end of the day, it means they can enjoy better lifestyles with less stress.

If you have a project in mind, it’s a good idea to think about key things here like walkability, connectivity, public space, and flexibility. That is especially true for public buildings and commercial spaces. People expect more from these properties today; they are a key part of communities.

Coffey Architects would love to help if you want some support. We’ve got plenty of experience, designing exceptional commercial architecture, education spaces, homes, and more. So, contact us today or browse our website.

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Celebrating stadia

Stadiums have a massive impact on football. They shape the fan experience and also affect what happens on the pitch. There are wonderful examples all around the world, from historic venues to ultra-modern stadia with incredible features. One thing that made the 2026 World Cup so special was how interesting the stadiums were and the amazing atmosphere they could create.

In total there were 16 venues across the three countries. Of them, several stood out for different reasons. The Estadio Azteca in Mexico was one of the favourites. It has an unbelievable history and a really special feel. It also became the first venue to host matches at three different World Cups. It’s an iconic venue and shows how a great design can ensure longevity.

America has a reputation for massive commercial architecture, including skyscrapers, shopping centres, theme parks, and more. It’s something they do incredibly well. So, it’s no surprise that a few of their stadiums were on the list of best venues at the World Cup. One that stands out is Seattle Stadium. It’s a distinctive design, offering a memorable experience for visitors. Added to this, the location is amazing. A lot of stadiums suffer because they are out-of-town and end up surrounded by car parks and little else. Here though it is in the heart of the city, easily accessible, and creates an even better atmosphere.

A change in approach

As well as the impressive stadiums, the 2026 World Cup had a really interesting approach. In the past, many editions of the tournament have involved building new stadia. This has given us some wonderful designs, including FNB Stadium in South Africa and Arena da Amazonia in Brazil. However, with a change in attitudes and a focus on sustainability and longevity, this time there were no new builds; all of the stadia already existed.

A key thing is many stadiums had upgrades and renovations to meet FIFA’s standards for international football. Several US stadia had to be adapted because they were built for American football. This included key things like new playing surfaces, modifications for seating, accessibility improvements, and new media infrastructure. Even the iconic Azteca had a major renovation.

The approach ensures all the 2026 World Cup venues have a positive legacy. They will remain in active use beyond the tournament. This is much better than them becoming relics of the past or demolished, especially from an environmental point of view.

Talk to us about commercial architecture and legacy

The approach to the 2026 World Cup, including focusing on lovely architecture, great fan experiences, and longevity, is fantastic. It’s something that should be a consideration for all kinds of projects because it can maximise long term value.

If you’re considering a project and would like some help, you can rely on Coffey Architects. We have a passion for commercial architecture, homes, and much more. You can explore key topics with us, such as new builds, renovations and adaptations, sustainability, and legacy. We can even design buildings to be adaptable so they have a great future. Contact us today.

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Certifications

One thing that is very popular and is unlikely to go out of fashion is the demand to display green credentials. It’s something every business needs to think about because consumers are increasingly passionate about the environment.

There are some key things to look at here. If you’re designing architecture, including offices or retail space, explore the various green certifications. The goal should be to design your buildings so you can achieve the certification. Consider the key benchmarks, particularly energy efficiency, environmental performance, and indoor air quality. The credentials can add a lot of value to properties and is also a great way to ensure you comply with standards.

Energy

Sustainability is a hot topic in all kinds of industries. It’s definitely significant in the construction industry. A key part of this is a drive to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. A critical thing to look at is how to reduce energy consumption. This includes using efficient HVAC systems, lighting, and key services. At the same time, renewables like solar panels are very popular. Ideally people want commercial architecture that can generate clean, sustainable energy.

Smart technology

Another thing that is trending and showing no sign of stopping is smart tech. It’s better than ever and advancing all the time. Most importantly, you can rely on it to achieve various goals including improving energy efficiency and the indoor environment. There are even solutions for more effective building monitoring and automation. This can improve maintenance, reduce costs, and provide long term savings.

The wider community

Businesses today need to have a wider focus than ever before. In terms of buildings, they need to think about how they will impact local communities. Could a project fit into a wider urban regeneration project and improve key things like walkability? Could you create public amenities like accessible green space? It’s vital to keep in mind that good commercial architecture can create value for the community as well as the businesses.

Circular economy

The materials you choose for buildings can have a big impact on the environment. This goes beyond the resources it takes to produces them; it also includes energy and resources for maintenance plus everything at the end of their life. A big trend at the moment is to support the creation of a circular economy. The goal here is to choose materials that are suitable for recycling or re-use. It is a far greener approach because it diverts waste away from landfill.

Health and wellbeing

Finally, and potentially the most important trend, businesses need to make sure workplaces have a positive impact on health and wellbeing. People are more selective about where they work today. They favour companies that give them healthy workplaces. So, focus on this, including things like air quality and comfort. The covid pandemic also showed how important it is to look at resilience and make sure properties are easy to adapt in case there are health crises.

Delivering outstanding commercial architecture

As you can see, there are several key trends to think about. If you can tick all of the boxes, you can create incredible buildings. However, as we said, don’t focus solely on what is trending or ticking things off. Think about what will be important in the future and what opportunities could be available.

If you need some help, we’d love to provide it. Coffey Architects has experience in the commercial sector, supporting businesses in different industries. We can design the ideal properties to help you achieve your goals. So, contact us today.

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A new era

London Museum has a really interesting history. Its current form was created in 1976 with the merger of Guildhall Museum (itself with a legacy dating back to 1826) and London Museum (established in 1911). Significantly, the new entity became the home of the largest collection of urban artefacts in the world, totalling well over 6 million pieces. It tells the story of London’s development and more.

The museum’s previous home from 1976 was at 150 London Wall. Notably, it was built as a way to help regenerate part of the city that was still bearing the scars of the Blitz in WWII. It became a fantastic landmark and had a redevelopment in the 00s. However, in 2016 there was an announcement of plans to move to Smithfield. The aim was to increase the size of the museum and make it more accessible. As a result, the London Wall building became vacant in 2022. Sadly, although there have been plans to redevelop it, it’s looking likely it will be demolished.

While the move may result in the loss of one notable building, it will be a brand new lease of life for the General Market buildings. Designed by English architect Sir Horace Jones, famous for designing Tower Bridge, the iconic piece of commercial architecture has been empty since the 90s. Sadly it did deteriorate in the time it was vacant, but a multi-year project to reimagine it is nearly complete.

A wonderful result

Restoring and redeveloping the General Market was a big project. The goal was to preserve and celebrate the history, while also creating a new home for London Museum. As part of this, dozens of different expert craftspeople were involved, restoring stonework, decorative ironwork, and more. There were also exciting rediscoveries, including a network of vaults under the building.

Notably, the move will increase the size of London Museum to an impressive 27,000sq/m. It will provide space for them to display more of their collection. The new museum will feature three spaces, celebrating “Real Time”, “Our Time”, and “Past Time”. There will be permanent galleries, a hub with space for events and activities, a restaurant, plus space for 13 installations. When the museum opens there will be a full calendar of events and activities like workshops and live performances.

Moving to this new location is appropriate for a museum celebrating the history of London. It is a historical area, one of the oldest parts of the city and once a beating heart for commerce. It’s a hotspot for period buildings and conservation. Plus, there are links to icons like Shakespeare and Dickens. Could there be a better location to explore London’s past, including the earliest inhabitants, the Romans, and crucial events like the Great Fire?

Got ideas for commercial architecture?

The transformation of Smithfield General Market is fantastic, a great example of what is possible with the right designs and a team of experts. It can save historic buildings and give them a new purpose. If you’re planning this kind of project and need some help, you can rely on Coffey Architects. We have experience with older properties and can see the potential they offer. We’ll work with you to create exceptional plans.

So, get in touch today and tell us about your ideas for commercial architecture. We can work with you on all kinds of projects, giving you access to our huge pool of talent and knowledge.

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Understanding workplace culture

Before we jump in to the architecture side of things, it’s important to understand what workplace culture is. Crucially, it means something different for each business. However, in the most basic sense it is the foundational beliefs and values that shape how businesses operate. It affects everything, including how employees interact and the vibes in offices.

There are many different types of culture to consider. For example, there may be a highly competitive, results-driven atmosphere. Or, a business could be purpose-driven, with everyone supporting the same mission. Clan or collaborative cultures are fantastic because they focus on connectivity and people working together. Alternatively, the culture may be all about innovation and developing ideas.

The benefits

The main thing to keep in mind is the workplace culture determines how people work on a day to day basis. The commercial architecture adds to this. That is really important because it can affect performance, engagement, wellbeing, loyalty, and more. If you have a positive culture, it will provide numerous benefits. Inversely, a toxic culture can cause big problems.

Easily the biggest benefit of a positive workplace culture is it increases performance and productivity. It ensures engagement, makes people feel valued, and builds stronger relationships. It can also be a game changer for recruitment and retention; if your business builds a reputation as a place where people want to work and can thrive, it will be easier to find and keep hold of talent. Plus, it can lead to growth too.

The impact of good architecture

The design of the workplace itself can have a huge impact on the culture. Everything, from the layout to the lighting, will affect employees. It can influence how they behave and communicate. Additionally, it can affect attitudes, leadership, inclusion, and many other key things.

At the end of the day, the workplace needs to be the perfect vehicle to facilitate the kind of culture you want. If you’re focusing on collaboration, ensure there are spaces where people can get together to share ideas. If the culture is results-driven, give people workstations so they can focus free from distractions. Want workers to feel like a family? Provide spaces for socialising.

Designing outstanding commercial architecture

A great workplace makes people feel good about going to work. More importantly, it allows them to thrive, performing to the best of their ability and achieving their goals. It can benefit the business in numerous, invaluable ways. So, make sure you get it right.

Coffey Architects is a fantastic company to work with if you want to design commercial architecture. We can support clients to ensure you have the perfect buildings to promote your workplace culture. Crucially, we can explore all the key elements, including lighting, layout, noise, materials, and spaces for different needs. In addition, we can look ahead, ensuring the design allows cultural evolution in the future.

So, get in touch and tell us what you have in mind. We have experience with new builds and renovations, including working with tricky older properties.

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Reputation

The most important thing to keep in mind is people have been living on high streets and in town centres for centuries. In fact, it was very common in the past for shop owners to live upstairs above their businesses. Today it is quite rare, and spaces above shops often go to waste or are underutilised as crude storage.

If you think about where people want to live though, there is a convincing case for more commercial to residential conversions. Generally people want to be near amenities like transport links and leisure, as well as established services like GPs. This makes high streets and town centres attractive areas. Redeveloping them can also protect the environment, reducing urban sprawl and avoiding the need to demolish and replace.

The big problem is past projects mean commercial to resi conversions have quite a bad reputation. It’s hard to shake off the idea that a project will create small, unsuitable homes. However, why not learn from these mistakes and use the experience to deliver the kind of homes people want? It could massively improve urban areas, creating a better mix of commercial architecture and housing.

Benefits

One of the best selling points for commercial to residential conversion is the speed. Projects can progress much faster, especially when they avoid the need for demolition and drawn out planning applications. It means new homes could be delivered much faster. This is ideal when you consider there is a housing shortage in many parts of the UK.

In addition, the conversions could cause less disruption for locals. While there will undoubtedly be some, it will be much less than a new build project. Much of the work will be to reconfigure inside properties. Any changes to the exterior will generally be minimal. Overall, it means less mess, less noise, and shorter project timelines.

If that wasn’t all, the projects can preserve heritage commercial architecture. We love conservation in the UK, especially when it comes to landmark buildings that showcase our heritage and give areas their unique character. However, in too many cases when we seek to protect them, buildings are actually allowed to decline. A thoughtful conversion can save the properties, including beautiful features, and return them to use.

The environmental argument is also impossible to ignore. Conversion and redevelopment keeps the embodied carbon locked in the building. At the same time, it reduces the amount of new resources the project needs. Retaining as much of the original property as possible while introducing more insulation, modern heating systems, and sustainable materials is a greener option. Plus, the right design can upgrade the property to meet current building standards.

Ultimately, a high quality commercial to residential conversion can be the best option for all parties. It can give people quality homes in great areas, putting them at the heart of communities. If you retain space on the ground floor, you can also avoid the loss of office, retail, or leisure/hospitality space.

Think about what you can do with commercial architecture

Easily the best thing about commercial buildings is they can have plenty of potential. That is especially true for older Victorian and Edwardian properties. They can have lots of features that would be ideal for homes, including high ceilings.

If you’re planning a project and want some help, don’t hesitate to contact Coffey Architects. We can design to make the most of any property, especially commercial architecture. Crucially, we can deliver incredible mixed use properties that work for everyone. So, contact us today.

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