<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" width="200" height="26" id="image" align="middle">
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" />
<param name="movie" value="../../header.swf?strapline=Empress State Building" />
<param name="quality" value="high" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" />
<embed src="../../header.swf?strapline=Empress State Building" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="200" height="26" name="menu" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" />
</object>
This building was originally constructed in the 1960's for the government and was home to secret services including MI5. Land Securities took over the building employing Wilkinson Eyre Architects to re-model and regenerate the scheme into flexible office space.
One of the main architectural challenges addressed included a massive brise soleil to the south face, extending the building be 2 floors including a roof terrace plus a new circular control tower type bar / restaurant pavilion to the 30th floor which included a rotating floor in order that the user could appreciate a moving skyline, as views from West London like this are rare and striking.
Many lighting opportunities were presented including the ground floor public areas and restaurant, lobbies and also the 30th floor rotating bar. The external hardscape areas were also designed meticulously in order to connect the internal and external areas visually and achieve a balance.