The City of London is poised to get a little greener as Dominvs Group submit plans for their new Citicape House development.
This proposal seems to be exactly what the area needs, as it sits right at the beginning to the Culture Mile. It will establish a recognisable gateway to the City of London’s initiative which aims to redefine the City as a world-class cultural destination, including the new Museum of London. It would be the first thing people see as they enter the Square Mile via Holborn.
Included within the site is a luxury hotel, a publicly accessible viewing gallery with separate entrance, a huge rooftop bar and restaurant, and a SME purposed workspace with associated public realm improvements.
The hotel will come with a whopping 382 bedrooms hotel has been designed to respond and reflect the specific existing context of the area whilst adapting to the changing environment through the establishment of the Culture Mile.
Moreover, the flexible workspace was specifically designed to meet the requirements of diverse high growth companies and their new working practices for small to medium enterprises (SMEs). It has Square Mile written all over it.
The publicly accessible rooftop terrace is also a huge part of the development and fits right within the Corporation’s desire to increase the number of publicly accessible gardens and rooftops in the area.
Developments need to give back to the City, not just build more office spaces void of community. The inclusive space has been designed to be used as a space to dwell and observe the surrounding area as well as further supporting biodiversity. The roof terrace will be free for members of the public to visit, with no booking required.
And one of the most exciting parts of the new build comes in the form of Europe’s largest living green wall. At approximately over 40,000 sq feet in area, it extends across the entire extent of the façade of the building, showing how the future skyline of London could look.
The living wall will include approximately 400,000 plants, which provide seven tonnes of fresh air and extract nine tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. That will do a whole lot of good to the Square Mile, as toxic air limits continue to be breached – something needs to be done and this is definitely a step in the right direction.
Jay Ahluwalia, Dominvs Group Director, “Dominvs Group is incredibly proud of our proposals for 61-65 Holborn Viaduct which aim to play a major role in the regeneration of the Smithfield area.
“With the City of London’s vision for the area and the creation of the Culture Mile, we feel this project will support and enhance the overall ambition for this exciting, new cultural destination as the creative heart of the Square Mile.
“Coming after our successful opening of The Dixon at Tower Bridge and the recent breaking of ground at Creed Court, St Paul’s we hope our proposals demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing developments of the highest quality in Central London.
“We also believe the building’s proposed Living Green Wall, the largest in Europe, could be an exciting, innovative and celebrated addition to London for years to come.”
61-65 Holborn Viaduct EC1A 2FD
