Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Project management of IT and AV Vision, Design and Procurement for an iconic HQ relocation to bring together people, innovation and technology in a contemporary environment.

Technologies & Innovations

AV; Meeting Room technology; Video Conferencing; Passive Network; SCS; onsite Data Centre services.

The Client

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners is an international architectural practice based in London. Over nearly four decades, RSHP has attracted critical acclaim and awards with built projects across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

The Team

RSHP, Arup

After 30 years at Thames Wharf Studios in Hammersmith, RSHP was planning to relocate to new London Headquarters at The Leadenhall Building. RSHP took a 15 year lease for 18,000 sq ft of space on level 14 of 122 Leadenhall Street. This was a special move for RSHP, as the practice was originally appointed by British Land to develop the architectural plans for the building in 2001. Led by Partner Graham Stirk, the design team conceived the building’s distinctive slanting profile, which has earned the building the nickname ‘The Cheesegrater’, in order to respect a protected sight line of St Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street.

RSHP was naturally very proud to become the tenants of such an iconic building that reflected the ethos and origin of the design practice. The objectives of the move were to create a contemporary, flexible and collaborative workplace. RSHP recognised the bearing that the IT and AV technology would have on enabling a new working environment that delivered a first class user experience with mobility, security and resiliency.

Maurice Brennan, Associate, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said:

“In our previous Headquarters at Thames Wharf, we were spread out over 4 floors. The move to The Leadenhall Building would bring the whole staff of 200 people together onto a single floor for the first time with an open plan office layout that would promote creativity and collaboration. The practice knew that technology would underpin the delivery of a seamless user experience and we placed great emphasis on this from the outset.”

RSHP engaged Cordless Consultants (Cordless) to deliver their IT and AV vision, design and implement high level project management. Cordless’ role as IT and AV Consultancy Partner for the project would be to help ensure that the relocation met its deadlines and new ways of working were enabled through technology. Cordless would provide hands-on advice and guidance to make sure that the audio visual, meeting technology, collaboration, networking, data centre and physical IT infrastructure could meet the long term requirements of the practice.

Cordless firstly worked with all project stakeholders to create a technology vision that embodied the vision for the new workplace. Consulting with both the client and professional team members, Cordless was then able to translate this vision into an IT and AV design along with a project management implementation programme that worked the IT and AV workstreams into the overall relocation and construction timescales.

As the project progressed, Cordless provided project management reporting, advice and guidance to ensure that the IT and AV workstreams were delivered in line with the relocation objectives.

Mark Read, IT Coordination Manager said:

“The Cordless IT reporting was invaluable. Cordless consistently brought all decision-making matters to our attention right the way through the project, in order that the best decisions could be taken to deliver optimal results and value for the practice. The quality of the IT and AV experience that we are now benefiting from at RSHP now speaks for itself.”

AV screens in reception provide a branded and welcoming visitor experience so that you are in no doubt that you are entering an iconic architectural practice. Wireless is ubiquitous. At the desktop, users are benefitting from dual screens which are ergonomically raised, with USB phones, optimising the use of on desk space. Telephony is IP-based, making it very resilient.

Video conferencing is provided in all meeting rooms, using the latest powerful, smart and compact conference technology, freeing up valuable space for creative working. RSHP’s Unified Communications also incorporates the use of voice, video, Instant Messaging and telepresence across multiple user devices.

Mark said:

“At the moment, RSHP is working on 35 projects concurrently globally across multiple time zones, so our conferencing and collaboration technology is a global asset for us. We can communicate anytime, anywhere.”

In the centre of the workplace is a large collaborative town hall meeting space, featuring two wall-mounted screens to which devices can be wirelessly connected for presentation purposes. High performance audio speakers and projection technology blend expertly into the ceiling, looking more a part of the office design than functional technology. This meeting space is automatically controlled with a smart wall panel that can set the lighting and sound to user preferences.

Seamus Conway, Head of IT Infrastructure said:

“Our ultimate goal was to have all technology working on day 1 and with the help of Cordless, we did. Had it not been for the rigour of the IT and AV project management provided by Cordless, we wouldn’t have achieved what we did. The fact that we were both the Client and the Architect made this a particularly unusual project!  At all times, Cordless maintained independence, objectivity, commitment and professionalism – and it was this combination that delivered the firepower that our relocation project needed to succeed.”