McLaren Construction has been appointed main contractor for Global Holdings鈥� 100,000 sq ft Xylo building in Clerkenwell, on the southeast Corner of Gray鈥檚 Inn Road and Clerkenwell Road.
Centred around a 6.5-metre vaulted lobby, Xylo will provide nine floors of workspace featuring crafted interiors using natural materials.
Xylo will also have a 3,640 sq ft town hall space with bar, lounge and auditorium space, a 3,800 sq ft rooftop garden, five landscaped terraces (including a yoga deck) and a caf茅/restaurant, as well as bike racks and shower facilities.
The project cost has been reported as 拢57m.
Following the completion of enabling works, McLaren will now work alongside architects Piercy & Co, project manager Avison Young, services & sustainability engineer Max Fordham and structural & civil engineer Heyne Tillett Steel, to deliver the project by the second quarter of 2028.
According to the developer, Xylo 鈥渞epresents a significant step-change in sustainability with everything from carbon-sequestering timber to carefully monitored deliveries to reduce overall emissions鈥�. The building is designed to achieve LETI Pioneer, NABERS UK 5.5-star and BREEAM 鈥楨xcellent鈥� certifications. The embodied carbon levels will be 50% lower than a typical London office building, it is claimed, with operational carbon emissions reduced by up to 82% compared to standard buildings.
The building鈥檚 glulam beams and cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure are being supplied by Hybrid Structures, a William Hare Group company, and will store more than 2,400 tonnes of CO鈧�.
The other benefit of the timber frame structure, it is claimed, is that it can be more easily reconfigured in the future to customise spaces adapting to changing business needs.
Global Holdings Group was founded by its chairman, Eyal Ofer, an Israeli billionaire shipping magnate. Global Holdings Management Group is an international alliance of real estate asset management and investment advisory companies across the USA and Europe that exclusively develop and manage his property interests.
Josh Lawrence, chief executive of Global Holdings Management Group UK, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to be working with McLaren to deliver Xylo 鈥� a game-changing project and significant milestone for our industry. Xylo is going to be the perfect building for companies that are leaders in their fields, showcasing the most environmentally friendly technologies in a truly beautiful building, underpinned by a vibrant neighbourhood and abundant transport links.鈥�
Darren Gill, McLaren Construction鈥檚 managing director for London & South, added: 鈥淭his is a pioneering use of structural timber and off-site manufacturing to deliver a high level of buildability and sustainability on a typically tight central London site. The result will be a landmark project that redefines what a sustainable, healthy workplace can be. Rigorous digital information management systems enable us to monitor carbon emissions as the project progresses and ensure that it comfortably meets its ambitious targets.鈥�
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