100 Fetter Lane, named Edenica, in the City of London exemplifies a pioneering approach to workplace architecture, setting new standards in sustainability, placemaking and user experience.

Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, 100 Fetter Lane, named Edenica, in the City of London exemplifies a pioneering approach to workplace architecture, setting new standards in sustainability, placemaking and user experience.

The twelve storey design integrates innovative environmental strategies and encourages public engagement. The brief called for facilities that respond to evolving occupant needs and expectations, qualities which define the future of the workplace.

We met this ambition by creating a future-proofed, dynamic environment that is not only attractive to people and their senses but also promotes longevity and circularity. Wellbeing has been a priority throughout, with generous 3.4 meters high volumes, that create a spacious atmosphere with significantly more daylight and enhanced air circulation. Under-floor ventilation removes the visual clutter of ceiling ductwork, an approach that also reduces cost and carbon by between 25% and 50%. Mixed-mode ventilation, with manual and automatically opening windows on all floors, optimises natural cooling through night purging, and a facility for individual occupants to control fresh air and temperature.

A total of 5,900 sq ft of private landscaped terraces on six floors provide over 4000 sq ft of soft landscaping. Public spaces are also enhanced and enlarged. A new public pocket park with an accessible north-south route creates a protected ‘cool corridor’. A ground-floor café attached to the building’s lobby is open to the public and a new pub will animate the streetscape. The history of the area is celebrated through the contextual selection of materials. Pigmented textured concrete responds harmoniously to the brick and terracotta facades that characterise the area. Electric blue glazed bricks, a traditional finish for pub frontages include a selection of small sculptural motifs that recall the site’s printing heritage. Quotes from historical figures associated with the area, such as John Wilkes, the radical journalist and politician, – are commemorated on the column that faces the pocket park.

100 Fetter Lane is the first building in the City of London to implement a standardised framework for material passports. Developed in collaboration with Waterman Environmental Services, this system assigns unique references and information to nearly 5000 elements, ensuring traceability for future reuse and reducing construction waste.