Skanska and Quadrant, the real estate asset manager and developer, celebrated the topping out of the landmark Canary Wharf building, YY London at the end of April, to commemorate the completion of the top floor which was reached late last year.
Taking to the 14th floor of what was formerly the headquarters of Thomson Reuters, representatives from Skanska and Quadrant celebrated reaching the milestone stage of this transformative redesign of an iconic building from architects Buckley Gray Yeoman.
Situated at 30 South Colonnade in Canary Wharf, this centrally located 415,000 sqft building has been developed and designed as a visionary workspace with a name and brand that takes inspiration from its architectural features and distinctive Y-shaped façade.
Buckley Gray Yeoman’s contemporary and original redesign incorporates floor-to-ceiling glazing to maximise natural light, a triple-height reception creating a vibrant space where people can meet, work, eat and drink, and a roof terrace combining office space and spectacular views across the city. All contained within an elegant curved form to create an environment of personal wellbeing.
Additionally, saving 10,260 tonnes of CO2 from the onset, this is an all-electric, sustainable building, targeting net zero which is on track to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum, WiredScore Platinum and Smartscore Platinum.
Julian Neave, Partner at Quadrant, says: “It’s fantastic to have reached this milestone stage of YY London and to celebrate the progress of this spectacular redesign of the former Thomson Reuters HQ. The last few years have changed our demands of what we require in an office and the amenities and spaces on offer have never been more important. YY London is on track to offer an extraordinary work space to exceed post-pandemic expectations, all within the prime central location of London’s Canary Wharf.”
Tony Boorer, Project Director at Skanska, says: “A topping out ceremony is a significant milestone for any construction project, marking the beginning of the next stage of work to complete it. By renovating rather than building from scratch, the project has achieved huge carbon savings and Skanska’s extensive experience of renovations and refurbishments means we have been able to work closely with our stakeholders to find innovative solutions that will deliver a modern, sustainable building located in the heart of the vibrant Canary Wharf community.”
Simon Yewdall, Strategy Director at dn&co, culture and brand consultancy for YY London, says: “Now more than ever, places of work need to be extraordinary. They need to nurture learning and collaboration, inspire us, help us to keep fit, and draw people back together. YY London is a defining landmark aiming to redefine work, with bold beautiful architecture, meaningful amenities and a strong focus on wellbeing. The brand we developed for YY London signalled the future of work environments as places that change how people feel. It’s great to see that vision get one step closer to becoming a reality.”
