Newington Causeway was a proposal for a mixed-use development, formed by two adjacent buildings of 23 and 25 storeys, featuring commercial and hotel uses, respectively. Located in Southwark, the intended scheme incorporated 23 levels of premium, open-plan office space alongside 325 thoughtfully designed hotel rooms in the second building. Each building is supported by dedicated amenity areas that reinforce a holistic user experience.
At ground level, the development proposed public realm enhancements with an additional 234 sqm of landscaped space - 50% of the site at ground level intended for public use. Included within this was a new local piazza, providing a suitable urban setting for the Grade II* listed building opposite, as well as a light-filled, 6.5-metre-wide arcade threading between the hotel and office wings, enhancing permeability into the heart of the scheme and connecting Newington Causeway with the Low Line in Southwark. These outdoor spaces are complemented by lounges in both office and hotel areas, alongside an integrated bar within the lobby aiming to enhance vibrancy and activity within the buildings at ground level.
The hotel design includes a 285 sqm restaurant above the lobby, which is mirrored by a 527 sqm amenity space on the office side, forming a double height space that spans across the entire mezzanine level in both buildings.
Urban greening was integral to the design intent across the public spaces, most prominently expressed in the Green Rooms - double-height, biophilic spaces accessible on every office floor. The vision for these tranquil zones was to prioritise wellbeing and promote collaboration in the workplace, and play a key role in the building’s passive environmental strategy, incorporating openable glass louvres that support natural ventilation. These features contribute to an overall low carbon footprint for the office building and targeted BREEAM “Excellent”.
The planned upper levels included external amenity spaces with an Executive Terrace on Level 23 and a publicly accessible Roof Garden on Level 24 of the adjacent building. The terrace would provide a flexible setting for meetings, events and private work, while the garden was designed to serve as a social hub - anchored by a café pavilion and surrounded by informal seating areas aiming to foster a connection to nature and the community.
Architecturally, the building joined a cluster of tall buildings and was designed to be a thoughtful integration to the skyline. The façade design was articulated through two distinct yet complementary expressions. A transparent glazed façade reveals the verdant Green Rooms, enabling vegetation to climb the building’s prominent corner, culminating in a rooftop garden. In contrast, the main volume would be clad in a reticulated UHPC façade system with integrated planters. This would subtly differentiate the building’s functions: the office levels wrapped in limestone with anodised bronze framing, while the hotel would be defined by pigmented green concrete, textured with a bespoke relief pattern, bringing material richness and visual cohesion to the urban context.