The European Headquarters for KPMG was designed to be open and transparent. In order to express this transparency architecturally, the design makes the activities of the building visible to both its internal and external audiences through the use of stacked and “pocket” atria.
The public spaces of the building are connected to the surrounding environment and to one another, fostering a sense of connectivity to the external community while also contributing to the sense of community within the organisation.
The west and north sides of the building house non-hierarchical office spaces, while the southern portion of the building opens out to its surroundings. At the southwest corner, a stack of 3-storey atria brings the green space of Canada Square up into the building. The 3-storey pocket atria are grouped programmatically, encouraging synergy between the three floors.