University of Southampton_Global Technology Centre

Strategy

Forging a vision and strategic brief

Positioning the business for future recruitment, Lloyds Register moved to relocate their marine business away from an award-winning building in the City of London, to ally and embed themselves with the academic specialisms in marine engineering on University of Southampton’s campus at Boldrewood. Their Southampton workplace was commissioned as one of a quartet of new buildings designed by Grimshaw Architects. At the architects’ suggestion, Lloyds Register enlisted ZZA to help them envision and define what they wanted their new building to achieve. The process included ZZA taking the Lloyds Register leadership to experience a range of instructive comparators, and elicit what they wanted in physical terms. The triangulation of roles worked effectively: the client embraced Grimshaw’s translation of the strategic principles ZZA distilled from the exercise, and the building as realised fully fulfilled the vision.

Evaluation

Post occupancy evaluation

After Lloyds Register had occupied the building, Grimshaw Architects commissioned ZZA to undertake a Post Occupancy Evaluation of the Global Technology Centre in use. This commission represented a pioneering step for architects in ‘walking the talk’ on learning from independent feedback. Our study evidenced the building’s positive impact on building users, who enjoyed working in a building that promoted wellbeing and community – prioritising stairs, extensive daylight, external views to the fine natural landscape, attractive common spaces and good internal sightlines, The building is referenced in Ziona Strelitz’s chapter on The Physical Workplace and Work-Life Balance, as an important example of building productivity.