Halo shines Work powers ahead on eco office block

AHUGE eco office block being built in Bristol city centre is beginning to “take shape”, according to the developers behind the project.

Halo, at Finzels Reach, will house around 1,000 people when it opens, including staff from Tesco Pension Investment and law firm Osborne Clarke, which is planning to move its 600-strong team into the building.

According to developers Cubex, the steel frame that will form the main superstructure of Halo is beginning to appear out of the ground as works steam ahead on site. The 116,000 sq ft property is being constructed on the former fire station headquarters site.

Contractor Willmott Dixon has already dug out and poured in the concrete for the basement to pave the way for the construction of the superstructure.

Peter Walford, managing director at Cubex, said: “It’s fantastic to see such great progress on site at phase two of Finzels Reach, with Halo one of the only office buildings currently under construction in Bristol city centre.

“The importance of staff wellbeing and standout environmental credentials has risen up the agenda significantly during the last year, and rightly so.

“We are proud to be delivering a smart, green, leading-edge office that has these principles at its heart.”

According to Cubex, Halo will be among the greenest UK office buildings outside London when it is finished. The developers are targeting a BREEAM Outstanding sustainability accreditation.

It will have a corkscrew-like staircase rising up through a glass atrium, LED lighting, rooftop mounted photovoltaic panels, a drone landing pad, outdoor space on the roof, a bike park and glazed facade.

The Halo building being constructed in Bristol

Halo forms part of the second phase of Finzels Reach, the new mixed-use development by Bristol Bridge and the Floating Harbour.

This year, Cubex, backed by Fiera Real Estate, agreed a forward-funding deal with Grainger, which saw

the UK’s largest listed residential landlord acquire the 231-home build-to-rent development that will sit alongside Halo.

The developer also recently agreed a contract with housing provider Abri to deliver 66 affordable homes at Coopers Court, which is part of phase two of Finzels Reach.

Cubex bought the former fire station site in 2018 on behalf of Fiera Real Estate Opportunity Fund IV (UK) – a joint venture by FRE UK that is exclusive to clients of CBRE Global Investment Partners (CBRE GIP).