New London Stock Exchange
Paternoster Square, London
Independent Grove Whitbed
Natural Stone Awards 2004: New Build (Cladding)
- Developer: Mitsubishi Estates UK Limited / Schroder Properties
- Architect: Eric Parry of Eric Parry Architects
- Project Manager: Stanhope plc
- Main Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease (Construction)
- Quantity Surveyor: Davis Langdon & Everest
- Masonry Contractor: Szerelmey Limited
- Material: Independent Grove Whitbed
Paternoster Square Building No.2, King Edward Court, is the new London Stock Exchange Building, as part of a major £400,000,000 scheme involving the sensitive redevelopment of 750,000 square feet of office space and 122,000 square feet of leisure and retail space in an area close to St Paul's Cathedral and other heritage buildings. The project comprises a total of six new buildings around a carefully designed public square in keeping with the surrounding architecture.
The Paternoster Square site was subject to significant interest from property developers and architectural practices from 1986 when the original architectural competition to replace the William Holford building was started. This involved considerable public debate including comments from the Prince of Wales. Finally a master plan from William Whitfield was approved in March 1999 with individual buildings within the plan designed by different architectural practices.
Portland Stone was a natural choice for the development, but only after an extensive selection process and rigorous testing regime was Independent Grove Whitbed was selected by Eric Parry for the project.
Grove Whitbed is a very shelly Portland Stone and a complete contrast to the clean Bowers Basebed used on Eric Parry's previous contract at Finsbury Square . However, like Finsbury Square the stone is being used as a structural element for building.
Over 1,050 cubic metres of block was pre-purchased from stock by Stanhope plc for the project at a cost of over £500,000. Finished stone was manufactured at Albion 's Factory over a 50 week period with nearly 45% of the entire stonework production being completed before Szerelmey Limited start fixing on site.
The production tolerances of ±1mm demanded by the design team were well within the BS and Eurocode Standards, but were achieved by Albion 's Factory as a result of the recent £1.2 million capital investment.
The Grove Whitbed was also used on the internals through the foyer and up onto the lift lobbies. Grants of Shorditch were the Masonry Contractors on this part of the project.
The Building Research Establishment “BRE" provided the testing, which was being completed in advance of the production programme as a direct result of the block pre-purchase.