BLOOMBERG HQ IN LONDON BY FOSTER + PARTNERS

Bloomberg’s European Headquarters in the City of London is a major showcase project, designed by a Foster + Partners team, led by Norman Foster himself. Red oak is used throughout the building in considerable quantities – totaling over 40,000 m2 .

The Vortex is a dramatic double-height space at the main entrance of the headquarters. 6,000 unique panels of red oak veneer had to be put together, much like a large jigsaw that could only be assembled in a particular sequence. The multipurpose room is a flexible space for meetings and presentations adjacent to the building’s auditorium. American red oak used in the form of glulam, comprising the ‘fin walls’ which define the space. An innovative approach to the flooring means that it doesn’t create any footfall noise. Each red oak floorboard has a magnetic strip running its length, sticking to the metal access floor below, so each piece can be lifted with ease and dropped back into place.

“Businesses now want their buildings to have a different sense of personality and be more responsive to people who work in them. Timber is rather successful in delivering both these things. People warm to it and it makes them feel better about their environment. And, while each building is the result of conversation between client and architect, for sure we may use more red oak. Bloomberg loves the result it’s delivered and so do we.” – Michael Jones, Foster + Partners.