Case Study: The Blue Fin Building, London

IPC Media is responsible for over 60 well known brands in the UK across a diverse range of genres in both print and digital media including Marie Claire, NUTS, TV Times and NME.

When the lease expired at their offices at Kings Reach Tower and IPC appointed us to act as project manager to assist them in the important selection of a new premises. They needed a building which would portray a stylish, cutting edge image to their clients and house all their magazines in one place.

At the same time, a new development was underway, known as Bankside 123. The first phase of this development saw the replacement of the existing St Christopher’s House on Southwark Street in London. IPC chose Bankside 1 as their new office building and took out a pre-let which allowed the development to commence. IPC eventually renamed their office building ‘The Blue Fin Building’.

After the building had been chosen and agreed, we became intricately involved in negotiating appropriate modifications which would ensure the accommodation suited IPC’s occupancy needs including additional chilling and generation capacity. We then managed the process to appoint the right fit-out design team for this major project.

The design of the fit-out was undertaken in parallel with the early stages of construction and we managed the tender and appointment of the stage one contractor who remained in place through to construction.

We project managed the briefing, design and construction processes to make the new offices fit for purpose, ensuring the entire project ran smoothly. We also acted as CDM co-ordinator throughout the project.

Now complete and occupied by IPC, the offices boast an average floor plate is 40,000 sq ft and modern facilities including a 110 seat auditorium, a 100 cover staff restaurant and both a TV and Radio Studio.

Key Facts

• IPC required a new office building which would house all their magazines and portray the right image to clients.
• We provided a comprehensive service from the initial inception of the project with building selection right through to design, construction and move management.
• The diverse nature of IPC’s brands generated some bespoke needs including a tasting room and Cellar for their publication ‘Decanter’, Britain’s leading wine magazine.
• The Blue Fin Building was awarded the prestigious National Corporate Workplace Award by the British Council for Offices.