Moorgate Exchange project aiming high

London is seeing an immense amount of construction work at the present time, as new buildings go up in the west end and in the City of London itself.

One of the most important constructions for the finance industry is Moorgate Exchange.

An 11-storey development, the building at 72 Fore Street in the city is not a landmark structure in relation to its impact on the capital’s skyline. However, its design and construction is certainly one of bold enterprise.

The building, which sees the former Telephone Exchange being redeveloped is costing £140m. Fully-funded by private equity investment, the investors have high targets. It is their intention that the building should receive both LEED platinum and BREEAM excellent ratings.

It is a huge undertaking. With two roof-level plant floors and external terraces on the upper six floors the complete size of the development extends over 220,000 sq ft.

Key to its success as a working building will be the two trading floors. These will take up the entire first and second floors of the project. Both will see the inclusion of high end design to deliver the best product possible.

Speaking about the trading floors, Robert Balick, senior MD for one of the projects investors, CalVal Investors said:

“New quality grade-A office with flexible and efficient floor plates is in short supply in the city, and we will deliver in time to take advantage of that.”

Construction will require concrete flooring at basement level, laid on a raft with dual concrete cores. The superstructure, high grade steel, will connect to these cores through ordinary weight concrete and metal decking. This will form the floor plates.