This seminar examined the transformation of the Acre by Platform Associates and Northwood Investors, and its evolution from a 1980s Richard Seifert-designed brutalist building into a modern, amenity-rich workplace, now one of the largest office developments in Covent Garden.
The event began with a project overview from Valeria Segovia (Principal, Design Director, Gensler), followed by a quick-fire panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges of delivering large-scale office space in the West End. Together, the speakers highlighted the need to balance occupier demand for large, modern floorplates with the desire to adapt older office buildings into flexible, future-ready workspace.
Our speakers included:
- Liam Bonnar, Architect, Make Architects
- Rupert Calvert, WPA NextGen Chair & Project Director, Darling Associates (panel chair)
- Lucy Dowling, Partner, Knight Frank
- Kate Falconer-Hall, Partner, Montagu Evans
- Tom Parsons, Project Executive, Platform Associates
- Valeria Segovia, Principle, Design Director, Gensler
Thank you to our WPA NextGen Committee for organising this event and to our NextGen champion Gardiner & Theobald for making it possible.
