ABSTRACT
Introduction This project was realized despite the recession of the early 1990s largely because of a pre-let for a flagship Marks & Spencer retail store for five of the 11 floors. This was combined with a new bank which resulted in a development comprising 43% of pre-let retail space. The remaining six floors provided 11,500m2 of offices arranged around a raised atrium, which were to be let on a speculative basis. It was desired by the architects to provide maximum transparency for the building, whilst realizing the requirement for adequate solar control without resorting to tinted and reflective glasses.
