Well, I tried to tell you so (yes, I did), but I guess you didn't know...that yesterday I had the pleasure of joining my fellow BCO members on a tour of the JJ Mack Building. 

A short walk from Farringdon station and the new Elizabeth Line, the building is a joint venture between AshbyCapital and Helical. It takes its name from a grocery store which formerly stood on the site and was owned by a market trader named JJ Mack.

It was great to hear how the building was brought to market and to see, first hand, examples of what makes a "best in class" space. Beyond the location, quality of finish (and rental level), the selling feature of the building can be split into three main areas:

Smart Enabled

The building’s systems have a “digital twin” which allows them to be monitored and controlled by building management, tenants and even individual occupiers. The information from this digital twin feeds directly into a bespoke building app.

Dashboards throughout the building provide real-time data on everything from travel information to air quality. Contactless access provides a touch free journey from door to desk.

Sustainability 

For a building which wants to shout about its sustainability, it naturally puts its accreditations front and centre. Picking up a BREEAM Outstanding, NABRS 5 Star and EPC A, it bills itself as the "market leader in its approach to sustainability".

The building doesn't hold a WELL accreditation, but it has been enabled to achieve WELL Platinum if occupiers want to commit to the requirements. 

Amenities

The building has a range of amenities, which you would expect from a modern office design: end of journey, dry cleaning, parcel pick up and even digital vending machines, which can share data on stock levels in real time. The changing rooms were particularly smart. 

However, the real differentiator is that they have all been planned with the occupier’s wellbeing in mind. For example, the staircase has been designed to be a pleasant experience, encouraging walking between floors as a healthy alternative to using lifts. 

I look forward to the BCO's next building tour and sharing more insights into office trends.