Sir Robert McAlpineās Unitised FaƧade in Landmark Project
Delivering a landmark office tower is rarely just about steel and concrete, increasingly, it is the building envelope that defines a scheme's identity and performance.
Sir Robert McAlpine's work on 2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) at Broadgate, illustrates how a striking exterior can also be a feat of engineering.
The firm has partnered with British Land, architects 3XN, Adamson Associates and specialist façade contractor Focchi.
The sawtooth-shaped, triangular envelope combines solid and glazed sections with lower-carbon materials, showing how ambitious design and environmental performance can be delivered together on a constrained City of London site.
Why façade design matters
A building's façade is far more than decoration. It shapes how a tower is perceived on the skyline, how efficiently it performs environmentally, and how comfortable it is for the people who occupy it.
At 2FA, the interlocking triangular forms and mix of solid and glazed elevations were designed to balance architectural ambition with environmental performance, incorporating lower-carbon aluminium, high-performance glazing and a passive ventilation strategy that supports energy efficiency.
Achieving that balance took sustained collaboration rather than a single design decision.
The envelope was the product of more than two years of design development between the client, architects and specialist supply chain partners.
It reflects the level of technical co-ordination required to deliver a bespoke façade of this scale and complexity in one of London's busiest commercial districts.
How the installation was achieved
Manufacturing the façade as unitised panels, rather than assembling it piece by piece on site, gave the project team a high degree of quality control and precision before elements ever reached Broadgate.
That approach, combined with a purpose-engineered crane solution, allowed a highly complex installation to proceed safely and efficiently.
Several factors underpinned the delivery of the finished envelope:
- Interlocking triangular forms combined with solid and glazed elevations
- Lower-carbon aluminium and high-performance glazing specified throughout
- A passive ventilation strategy designed to support energy efficiency
- Unitised panel manufacture enabling greater quality control and precision on site
- An innovative cantilevered tower crane solution aligned to glazing midpoints
The crane solution, operated from the East Tower core, was designed so that its structure aligned with glazing midpoints, allowing façade works to continue without interruption.
"This milestone is a testament to the strength of our collaboration with our joint venture clients, British Land, GIC and Modon, and the entire project team,” says Mark Andrews, Sector Managing Director, Commercial at Sir Robert McAlpine.
“From the earliest design stages through to the complex engineering now visible on the skyline, 2 Finsbury Avenue has exemplified what can be achieved when technical excellence and a shared commitment to sustainability come together. I'm incredibly proud of the collective effort behind this landmark building and the positive legacy it will create for Broadgate and the City of London."
Delivering next-generation sustainable workspace
A landmark façade is ultimately in service of a wider ambition: creating workspace that performs to the highest sustainability standards.
2FA is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum, EPC A and NABERS 5-Star ratings, and will provide 750,000 sq ft of mixed-use space, setting a new benchmark for sustainable commercial development in central London.
- ,792 unitised faƧade panels have now been installed at 2FA
- The full installation took just over a year to complete
- Design development and collaboration spanned more than two years
- The project team includes Sir Robert McAlpine, British Land, 3XN, Adamson Associates and Focchi
- 2FA will deliver 750,000 square feet of mixed-use space on completion
"3XN and GXN are thrilled to see 2FA taking shape on the London city skyline,ā says Audun Opdal, Senior Partner at 3XN. āThe project integrates research-based design into high-profile real estate and Class A office spaces, demonstrating that innovation at this scale is not only feasible but aspirational. We can't wait to see the project completed in 2027."
Sir Robert McAlpine's key partners:
British Land
One of the UK's largest listed property companies, British Land is Sir Robert McAlpine's longstanding client on the Broadgate campus, including 100 Liverpool Street, 1 Broadgate and 2 Finsbury Avenue. Their relationship spans more than a decade of successive developments across the same City of London estate.
GIC
The Singaporean sovereign wealth fund is British Land's joint venture partner across the Broadgate campus, including 2 Finsbury Avenue. As co-investor, GIC's long-term backing supports the scale and ambition of developments delivered by Sir Robert McAlpine on the estate.
Focchi
The Italian specialist faƧade contractor responsible for manufacturing and helping to install the 5,792 unitised panels at 2 Finsbury Avenue. Focchi previously delivered the colourful faƧade at 1 Broadgate, giving it deep familiarity with the technical demands of the wider Broadgate campus.
