5 October 2005
Spinningfields wins top honours at the
British Council for Offices Awards 2005
Allied London’s Spinningfields scheme in Manchester was awarded a top award from the UK’s leading office industry organisation, the British Council for Offices (BCO), at the annual BCO awards ceremony held last night (Tuesday, 4th October 2005).
1 Hardman Boulevard – the new home of The Royal Bank of Scotland non-customer facing headquarters – has won the ‘Commercial Workplace’ category for the North of England, North Wales and Northern Ireland region.
In giving national and regional honours to Hardman Boulevard, the judges commented:
“Back offices are often distant outposts set far from the places where their primary workforces live and play. The Royal Bank of Scotland made a conscious decision to reverse that trend, and Hardman Boulevard epitomises the policy to provide high-class working conditions in friendlier locations across the UK.
“It’s a huge enterprise, showing what can be achieved by close co-operation between planners, developer and tenant. The excellent ambience, which is central to RBS’ policy for the chain of back offices across the UK, forms the backbone of the approach to the completed building.”
Speaking of the quality of entries, David Walters, chairman of the BCO Awards, said:
“The BCO Awards act as a snapshot of the way offices are changing to meet new demands. If you accept, as we do, that the UK leads the world in best practice, they also provide a wider insight into the workplace of tomorrow.
“This year’s entries show how occupiers, designers and developers have taken to heart the need for sustainability and the BCO awards have certainly raised the profile of sustainability in 2005. Most entries also recognised the importance of BREEAM, the Building Research Establishment’s benchmark for energy efficiency.
“There is acknowledgement that if a workforce is to be ultimately successful, people must be given the highest quality and most fitting and flexible building environment from which to deliver. The challenge now lies with the construction industry to meet the aspirations of its ultimate clients – those who work in the buildings.”
Michael Ingall, Chief Executive of Allied London, added: “We are delighted and honoured to have been awarded this prestigious accolade. Spinningfields is fast becoming established as a new European business destination of choice and with state of the art, innovative buildings like 1 Hardman Boulevard, we continue to attract other high profile occupiers such as The Royal Bank of Scotland.”
The office industry’s premiere awards, now in their fourteenth year, were presented at a gala dinner held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.
