One Bank Street

One Bank Street is a landmark commercial development in Canary Wharf, standing 145m above ground with three basement levels extending 16m below.

Background

The building comprises 28 floors and offers 60,400sqm of net Grade A office space.

Designed to accommodate modern commercial needs, the lower levels feature three expansive trading floors exceeding 4000sqm each, with enhanced floor-to-ceiling heights and flexible configurations.

Challenges

The project required an innovative approach to balance efficiency, sustainability and structural complexity.

The design team needed to optimise column placements to create a column-free arcade while reducing the need for extensive internal transfer structures.

The sloping west facade added further complexity, requiring careful structural coordination.

Additionally, minimising steel weight, improving construction safety and refining basement and foundation design within the site’s boundary constraints were key considerations.

Solutions

The design team adopted a resource-efficient approach, challenging conventional practices to reduce costs, construction time, and embodied carbon.

Column locations in the podium and along the west façade were rationalised, eliminating the need for excessive transfer structures while preserving architectural intent.

An innovative perimeter steel framing solution was developed to remove the need for secondary steel, significantly reducing overall steel weight and enhancing safety during construction.

Close collaboration between the structural and geotechnical teams ensured an optimised basement and foundation design, with a rationalised construction sequence that accounted for site constraints.

Conclusion

One Bank Street exemplifies how innovative engineering can drive efficiency while maintaining architectural ambition.

By optimising structural layouts, reducing material usage, and enhancing safety, the development delivers a high-performance commercial space suited to modern business needs.

The project sets a benchmark for sustainable and cost-effective high-rise construction in Canary Wharf, demonstrating how thoughtful design can achieve both functional and environmental benefits.

This project previously featured as an entrant in the Tall Buildings Awards. To learn more, visit www.tallbuildingsawards.co.uk