We have had floating jails, there are floating hotels, so why not floating offices? The London Mayor, Boris Johnson, has recently announced plans for a floating village on the Thames, and one logical step further would be floating offices.
It wouldn’t be the first time this concept has been tried. In Cardiff, there are floating offices in the marina, which are known as H2Offices. They have been there since 2010 when two ex-insurance workers couldn’t find their ideal space on dry land. Now they certainly have better views than most office locations, plus outside space for the warmer weather.
In the Netherlands, there are already plans to branch out onto and take advantage of the rising water levels, with tentative proposals for residential property as well as retail and office space in Rotterdam. Called the Floating Pavilions, the structures are space-age domes – although by the launch date for a full development – provided the pilot is successful – of 2040, perhaps they’ll look less space age.
A Cheshire-based company, Floating Concepts, specialises in water-based developments, and in 2011 it was selected as the preferred bidder for a proposed £30 million floating development at the Canting Basin on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. Again, the proposal was for a mixed-use scheme. However, the scheme is still dependent on planning permission being granted once sought.
The races seems truly to be on for the world’s first floating development.
Morgan Pryce is a specialist tenant acquisition agent with offices in Oxford Circus and the City. Morgan Pryce specialises in search, negotiation and project management and works exclusively for tenants.
