Finsbury Circus Office Space

Finsbury Circus office space is fronting or close to the 2-acre garden park oasis in the City of London, the oldest and largest public open green space within the City’s boundaries.

Finsbury Circus Gardens sits in EC2 postal area in the Coleman Street Ward and was created in 1812 on the site of the former Lower Moorfields. This area was originally part of the Manor of Finsbury, which had existed since the 12th century.

The term ‘circus’ has Roman origins and reflects its elliptical shape. It once functioned similarly to a modern-day roundabout.

It was opened as a public park in the early 20th century under powers granted to the City of London Corporation, although the owners of the surrounding private residences opposed this.

The Grade II-listed gardens, featuring a circuit of lime trees, were developed by William Montague in 1815 to the specifications of the architect George Dance the Younger. Today, they are noted for their mature London plane trees and its fine Japanese Pagoda tree — the only one in the City.

In 1819, the London Institution moved into premises at the north end of the circus. It closed in 1912, and the University of London used the buildings until their demolition in 1936.

Many of the original grand houses of Finsbury Circus were converted into offices, and many were demolished to make way for new buildings.

One of the most prominent properties is the Grade II* Britannic House. Created by Edwin Lutyens, who was also responsible for the classical revival style buildings in Bank, it was designed for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which became British Petroleum (BP).

Because part of the property would overhang Moorgate underground station, the foundations work was particularly intricate and portions of the pavement surrounding it, bearing the stresses of a multi-storey stone building, were cantilevered.  It was built to a height of over 38 metres, taller than allowed by the 1894 London Building Act at the time, thus requiring special consent.

The building has been sometimes labelled as Lutyens House and the Britannic House moniker was temporarily transferred to an important late 1960s modernist complex of plinth-and-slab type on nearby Ropemaker Street.

It was possibly transferred because BP moved its headquarters into the new 35-storey, 400-foot (122-metre) tall property. Incidentally, that property, completed in 1967, was the first building in the City of London area to exceed the height of St Paul’s Cathedral.

In 1991, BP moved back to its original headquarters on Finsbury Circus and the building on Ropemaker Street was renamed Britannic Tower.

Brittanic Tower was replaced in 2000 by the building known today as CityPoint.

BP eventually vacated Brittanic House and is now home to international law firm Stephenson Harwood.

Office buildings on Finsbury Circus are some of the most iconic in the City, so refurbishments or new developments are carefully overseen. In 2017, the refurbishment project at No. 8 received the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) London Award.

The building is located on the former River Plate House site, adjacent to Britannic House, which links Finsbury Circus to South Place via a dual entrance to both streets.

The RIBA jury felt that the scale, proportions and materials of the new façade facing onto Finsbury Circus showed a simple and clear understanding of the character of the Circus as a whole and the Lutyens building it adjoins.

Businesses and organisations can rent prime office space in Finsbury Circus, combining award-winning architecture with modern amenities and sustainable credentials.

1 Finsbury Circus, for instance, offers 200,000 square feet of Grade A office space in a building that has been refurbished to meet modern ESG standards and offers Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘Very Good’ workspace.

Finsbury Circus House has two grand entrances, one on Finsbury Circus and one on South Place. It offers 145,000 square feet of light-filled Grade A office space together with unrestricted views of the green space of Finsbury Circus Gardens.

The property’s sustainability credentials have earned it BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification.

In contrast to office space for rent on long-term leases, there is a growing number of flexible solutions, including private serviced offices, managed office spaces and co-working spaces on and near Finsbury Circus.

These are held on short-term licences, with the option to extend and allow businesses to move into larger spaces as their business grows.

For added efficiency, the offices offer all-inclusive pricing, meaning that one monthly fee covers rent, utilities, furnishings, cleaning, secure enterprise-grade IT, and various other items such as reception, business support, and concierge services.

The private serviced offices are fully furnished and fitted, and clients enjoy 5-star communal amenities, including break-out spaces, meeting rooms, fitness amenities and cafes.

Managed offices are ready-fitted, and clients lead the furnishing and fit-out process. Customised offices can include private receptions, meeting rooms, executive offices, kitchens, bathrooms, and shower facilities.

In addition to providing sustainable space, the buildings are wellness-focused and offer end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle storage, showers, and changing facilities.

However, clients also enjoy excellent public transportation links from close by Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations.