8 Canada Square, London. Credit: Kiasm.
Elie Gamburg Featured in BBC London News.
The KPF Principal was included in a BBC London News item, which discussed the way that Canary Wharf is adapting to changing demands for office space in the age of hybrid working.
The news item charted the development of the area from down-at-heel docklands to the home of some of the world’s most notable financial companies and asked what will happen next as major companies, which had taken on 25–30-year leases, approach the end of their terms.
“We need to find a way to make what we [already] have better,” Elie explained as he discussed 8 Canada Square, an iconic tower which will be vacated by HSBC in 2027. He explained that KPF’s approach was to ask what you would want in a building designed today, and how that can be applied to the existing building.
“Contrary to perception, Canary Wharf is the most robust it’s ever been,” said Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf, highlighting the number of new restaurants and the transformative effect of the Elizabeth Line.
Earlier this summer, KPF were announced as the architects for the transformation of 8 Canada Square from an iconic, single-use office tower into a vibrant mixed-use development.
KPF is working with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Canary Wharf Group, Qatar Investment Authority, and the wider design team to develop plans and submit a planning application.