On site at last

At last 99shoreditch gets to go into the Clifton Street site - to see how the build is progressing. Hard hatted, high-vized and steel toe capped up, we went in. 

First impressions (if somewhat obvious, yet still surprising) are how many people are involved. From the busy site office, to the canteen and the building itself, there are bodies everywhere. A total of 350 contractors all working hard to bring the building to its completion on time. 

To make things more complicated the main contractor, McLaren, are managing two builds at once, as the plot behind 99 Clifton Street is being turned into new student accommodation. The senior design manager, Aman Kasturia, told me that the logistics involved in managing such a big build are phenomenal.

From the entrance via the student block we caught a first glimpse of the courtyard. Currently occupied by an impossibly large crane, it is hard to imagine this will eventually be a lovely spot to sit and have your lunch. Acrylicize, who are responsible for the building’s artwork, assure me however they have great ideas on how to turn this space into an oasis of urban calm. 

The principal entrance doesn't, as yet, look much like a reception area, but it was my first chance to see the concrete that is a key feature of the design. It flanks the lift shafts and is incredibly tactile. It already projects a sturdy calm amidst the construction chaos around it.

Clearly the lifts are not yet installed, so we travelled by foot up to the top floor, where the views are spectacular. Looking right you can see into the city and to the left back into Shoreditch itself. This site is a terrific location, close enough to the city and Liverpool Street’s transport links, but with the added kudos and cool credentials of Shoreditch. 

As we were perched on the top floor discussing whether there was room for an ice-cream van to be precariously positioned on the roof(!), it was time for a close-up inspection of the bricks. None of your production-line, run-of-the-mill bricks for 99 Clifton Street, these bricks are hand-made in Denmark and each one is unique. 

As we walked back down the building to the first floor, the most finished so far, you start to get a sense of how this building is going to feel, as well as look. The glass is currently covered with protective sheeting, but there is already plenty of light. Once the daylight truly starts flooding in, this is going to be an amazing place to work.

The final treat on the tour were the shiny things. The exposed duct-work for the air-conditioning gives the space an industrial feel, that is keeping with the tradition of the area. The floor tiles add a different dimension - metallic and shiny, they reflect the building's twenty first century credentials. 

Already there are so many elements of the build that are exciting and impressive and with lots more to come, 99 Clifton Street is just going to get better and better.