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Case study:

Swiss Re

Lord Foster’s visionary redefining of the London skyline has brought corporate building design back onto the aesthetic agenda with breathtaking freshness and ingenuity. But that’s only half the picture. Inside 30 St Mary Axe, or ‘The Gherkin’ as it has become universally known, can be found some of the city’s most imaginative and forward-looking workspaces.

In 2006, HGDB was brought in by Swiss Re to design and build a bespoke specialist meeting area. The challenge was to create breakout areas that would be both sympathetic to the interior look and be built safely and securely.

Despite the absence of fixing spaces due to a raised floor, HGDB designed and built breakout structures comprising solid media and glass that were sound in their construction and seamlessly blended into the existing environment, further establishing its reputation as one of the most pragmatically innovative design and build companies in London.