One Central Square provides an outstanding and much-needed Grade A office environment in the heart of Cardiff City Centre that inspires its tenants, visitors to Cardiff, the local community and commuters. The office provides a foundation and quality benchmark for the regeneration of this neglected area of the City. The building frontage creates a new pedestrian boulevard linking Cardiff Central railway station to the National Stadium of Wales.
Based on a B1 office layout, each lettable floorplate has subdivision flexibility via the provision of a central core, providing an accessible vertical link through the building. Further amenities include a business lounge at entrance level, external terraces and dedicated cycle facilities.
The façade is eroded at its base creating a raised inclusive podium between the boulevard and the fully glazed, double-height entrance foyer connecting the public realm to the building. The envelope to the building’s concrete structural frame commences with a ceramic granite clad base that grounds the design. A fully-glazed element separates the base from the innovative precast-concrete-clad office space above, which provides transparency and animation to the public realm.
Realising the client's brief, the building has attracted high-quality employers to operate within the wonderful Grade A office working environment that has been created. One Central Square reached practical completion in March 2016 and has been extremely well received by building tenants, visitors and the general public. It is instantly recognisable within the streetscape and has become a landmark development for the city.