{"id":779571,"date":"2025-03-20T08:36:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T08:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=779571"},"modified":"2025-03-20T08:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T08:36:19","slug":"bgy-appointed-to-retrofit-arup-designed-lloyds-bank-building-in-bristol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/bgy-appointed-to-retrofit-arup-designed-lloyds-bank-building-in-bristol","title":{"rendered":"BGY appointed to retrofit Arup-designed Lloyds Bank building in Bristol"},"content":{"rendered":"

The practice says it will transform Canons House in Bristol\u2019s harbourside from a single-tenant occupancy into a \u2018future-proof, vibrant, multi-tenanted office building\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The building was designed by Arup and built as a regional headquarters for Lloyds Bank in 1988-1991, when the company relocated all of its retail banking functions to a single site outside of London.<\/p>\n

Featuring an integrated amphitheatre, Canons House is described by Historic England as \u2018one of Bristol\u2019s key public assembly spaces\u2019 and a \u2018distinctive harbourside landmark\u2019.<\/p>\n

BGY<\/a>, which is based in London but has studios in Bristol and Madrid, was chosen for the Canons House retrofit job by London-based client and real estate manager Kinrise & Mactaggart Family & Partners.<\/p>\n

The firm said its transformation of the 28,800m\u00b2 <\/span> building will be \u2018the largest speculative office repositioning project\u2019 undertaken in Bristol city centre to date and, when complete, will <\/span>be Bristol\u2019s largest office development.<\/p>\n

Arup is also back on the project design team, as structural engineer, services engineer and fire consultant, alongside Turner & Townsend as project manager, Quantum as cost consultant and Pegasus as heritage and planning consultant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A key focus of the project will be \u2018activating\u2019 the fa\u00e7ade of the amphitheatre to create a \u2018more engaging\u2019 civic space, according to BGY.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Buckley Gray Yeoman (BGY) been appointed to retrofit Canons House on Bristol\u2019s harbourside<\/p>\n\t

Source:Buckley Gray Yeoman <\/p><\/div>\n

New public routes will also be introduced through the building and retail spaces added to enliven the harbourside area with increased footfall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Existing spaces in Canons House will be upgraded to provide Grade A, multi-tenant office spaces.<\/p>\n

The scope of the project also includes introducing landscaping to \u2018soften the building\u2019s appearance and encourage greater public interaction with the structure\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BGY said its \u2018sensitive refurbishment and adaptation\u2019 of Canons House will give the building \u2018<\/span>a new identity that reflects its change of occupation whist respecting its heritage status and architectural significance\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a joint statement,\u00a0Andrew Brown and Nick Jones, associate directors at BGY, claimed the project would \u2018future-proof Canons House to become a best-in-class multi-let office building\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They added: \u2018Our proposals will encourage interaction and activation with the surrounding urban realm and create an improved connection to the fabric of the city of Bristol.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Canons House was listed in 2022.<\/a> It was described at the time as a \u2018striking example of Postmodernist architecture\u2019 and an \u2018iconic Bristol landmark\u2019 by MP Nigel Huddleston, parliamentary undersecretary of state for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.<\/p>\n