Unilever House
London, UK

About this Project

Commissioned in 1932, the 24,000 sqm Grade II listed property sits on the north bank of the Thames, in the heart of London. Providing the very highest specification commercial space with a FAR of 7.9, the building is moments from landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and The Tate Modern. The refurbishment, completed April 07, is now fully occupied by Unilever with three floors sub-let to lawyers. Occupation has increased from 1/21 to 1/12 sqm. The previously unused main entrance has been restored to its original grandeur and leads into a vibrant reception space with a Deli for public use, and a ‘Tokyo drop-off’ under the building enables chauffeurs to drop executives directly into the property. The nine levels house large floor plates, sweeping around a glazed atrium and connected by glass bridges to a series of unique balconies, creating meeting spaces. Offering complete flexibility to tenants, the building is topped off with a vast roof garden with panoramic views across London.

Submitted By: Helen Morris, Stanhope

Reviewed By: ULI Awards for Excellence Jury Members

Technical Specifications

From the outset, the Unilever House project team shared the aspiration of delivering the most energy efficient building possible, reversing the carbon footprint produced by the historical building. As the building is listed the maximum carbon it could use is 20.5kg C m2/yr. A target was set of 18.5kg C m2/yr which is the current requirement for new buildings. The result was that the target was beaten by a considerable margin. The building was signed off by the District Surveyor from the City with a carbon usage of 15.99kg C m2/yr, which is 22% better than the building regulations for a refurbished building and 13.5% better than the target.

The team not only focused on the sustainable design and operation of the renovated building, but demonstrated the desire to reduce carbon emissions throughout the construction phase. In an effort to improve how construction projects are serviced in congested London, Stanhope part funded the London Construction Consolidation Centre (LCCC) which was opened in 2006. Unilever House was the first Stanhope project to use this improved means of delivering materials to site and resulted in 73% lower carbon emissions for local journeys.

From design through construction sustainable delivery was carefully considered whilst not sacrificing design excellence. The project achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and was commended for a number of innovative design features including the installation of high performance façades with double glazing that insulate and shade the new space reducing the need for heat and light.

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This case study has been rated 3 out of 5

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