Profile

Credit Suisse First Boston

Canary Wharf, London, England
Completed 1991

18-story investment office building providing the financial market with trading floor, offices and amenities
 

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Credit Suisse First Boston is located on Canary Wharf, the world's largest commercial development, which was undertaken to provide London's financial market with large, technologically advanced facilities virtually on the doorstep of the historic city. The master plan for the 71-acre site encompasses ten million square feet of office space, together with hotels, conference and banqueting support, retail, restaurants, pubs, landscaped public spaces, leisure facilities, and parking. The complex is served by an internal roadway and greatly improved rail, road and water links to central London. Credit Suisse is fully integrated within this larger infrastructure, as Pei Cobb Freed & Partners participated in the development's master plan.

The 18-story building accommodates the special needs of the financial market with large open floor plates, ranging from a 64,500-square foot trading floor to 24,000-square foot executive office floors. A rooftop emergency generating system ensures uninterrupted power.

Faceted walls and generously sized windows increase outdoor awareness and help to bring natural light deep inside, while making direct response to the building's strategic location at the gateway to Canary Wharf, along a central tree-lined boulevard. The design reinforces the street wall with straight elevations, protected walkways at ground level and a north façade that maximizes its waterfront exposure. The building mass steps back to define and embrace the open spaces that collectively distinguish Canary Wharf as commercial development that enriches the public realm.

Major Components

600,000 s/f offices; 65,000 s/f trading floor; 10,000 s/f lobby; ground floor pedestrian arcade; employee cafeteria; retail, emergency generating system, underground parking

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners services

Full architectural services; Interior Design of public interiors; coordination with associate  architect on construction documents and construction administration

Associate Architect

D.Y. Davies Associates, London

Soils / foundations

Ove Arup, London

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