Salisbury Square Development

The City of London Corporation has identified a unique opportunity to create a new legal quarter in the heart of the Square Mile. Eric Parry Architects won an international design competition and in 2019 and were commissioned to design a world leading ‘Centre for Justice’ in the heart of the historic centre of London. This civic project incorporates a new ‘State of the Art’ Policing headquarters for City of London Police, a new flagship 18 courtroom legal facility for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and a new office building which represents ‘the office of the future’, capable of providing contemporary post COVID office space for leading law firms. This new court facility will specialise in white collar crimes and is the first building to incorporate the ‘Court of the Future’ design guide to provide ‘state of the art’ digital evidence capabilities for cybercrime and fraud trials. The Police headquarters reinvents the identity of a policing facility as an open, community building, filled with natural light, transparency, and connection, which is in stark contrast to defensive policing facilities of old. This thoroughly modern facility is equipped with the latest technology to become the national centre to combat fraud and economic crime across the entire UK. The existing listed building will be repurposed to become a new public house. The square, dating back to the 16th Century, will be enlarged and have its civic identity restored, with new connections east and west creating new urban vistas to the adjacent historic fabric. The placement of buildings and introduction of new routes has been inspired by the plan of the ancient city, with narrow passageways and spaces encouraging conversation and the exchange of information. We have prioritised the continuation of this tradition and integrated it into a modern development as a vital part of civic life. This proposal is not a campus, but rather a ensemble of buildings of distinct yet coherent designs. Each building will have its own identity to reflect the different uses yet work together to create a sense of whole. Materials have been carefully selected to respond to the location of each building within the masterplan, and the wider area, as well as their specific functional requirements. Built to last, this project sets a benchmark for contemporary sustainable design. The buildings are designed to last for a minimum of 125 years, triple that of contemporary constructions. Zero net carbon in operation, a shared energy centre incorporates a highly efficient ground source heating and cooling system. The thermal piles will plunge in excess of 250m into the earth. The basement plant room strategy has liberated the roofs of all buildings to become urban gardens. These high-quality gardens act as green lungs to the city and contemplative meditation spaces for the police and judiciary to aid mental wellbeing and a respite from these high stress professions.