The London borough of Tower Hamlets has given permission for the development of a state-of-the-art commercial health and life sciences building at the North Quay site, adjacent to the Crossrail Station and new Elizabeth Line at Canary Wharf, London.
The 23-storey 823,000 ft2 tower will comprise life sciences laboratories and workspace, creating a first of its kind vertical campus, which will be Europe’s largest and most technologically advanced life sciences facility.
Enabling works on the 3.3 hectare site are already well underway and the building, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, is anticipated to complete in 2027 and will be a world-leading centre for health and life sciences.
A low-carbon strategy has been implemented across the development, which includes highly insulated and airtight building fabric, with an optimized façade, energy efficient MEP systems and the provision of renewable sources and highly efficient photo voltaic panels.
Energy efficiency is at the forefront of the building’s design, adopting the industry leading NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) UK Design for Performance approach to optimising operational energy use.
In comparison to conventional commercial buildings or lab enabled offices, the vertical campus provides enhanced fresh air, power, data and ceiling heights in comparison to a traditional commercial lab building.
Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf Group, said: 'This is a significant milestone in our development of a world-class life sciences hub at Canary Wharf. While the North Quay development is an integral focal point, we have been working in tandem to nurture and grow our current life sciences community and we have built real momentum this year through leasing success and working with our partners Kadans to develop bespoke and innovative new facilities.'
'The next chapter in the evolution of Canary Wharf is well underway with the next generation of health and life science companies set to become a significant presence in our sustainable, mixed-use environment.'
Michel Leemhuis, CEO of Kadans Science Partner, added: ‘In addition to its scale, location and technology, this building sets a new benchmark in its field for sustainability, capitalizing on our previous experience and lessons learned, while engaging industry working groups to ensuring we are delivering a facility tailor-made to industry requirements.’
