Retrofitting Cycle Parking For Period Property Offices

Many of the most well-regarded London office buildings feature unparalleled bike parking, changing facilities, and lockers for the active commuter.

From the ground-up, these buildings are designed around growing cycling popularity and the importance of end-of-trip facilities in drawing office tenants.

But for period properties or refurbishments, many of which are either listed, lacking basement space, or in crowded urban environments, keeping active travellers happy is much harder.

Many top law firms in Lincoln’s Inn fields, design agencies in Soho, or Edwardian offices in sought-after Belgravia are attractive buildings for tenants, but many lack solutions for the modern active traveller.

Sustainable buildings – retrofit or new-build?

By 2050, all office buildings will need to achieve net zero if we’re to meet global warming targets. Whether that’s by planning and designing for a brand new energy efficient building or refurbishment to improve a building’s rating is the question for developers and landlords.

Most agree that thanks to lower costs and a relaxation of planning regulations, retrofitting buildings is increasingly the more cost-efficient and planet-friendly option.

Building new energy efficient buildings is not just outweighed by the carbon cost of the construction process, but many historic buildings are listed.

End-of-trip facilities – part of the net zero plan

Cycle parking and active travel facilities are not always included in the discussion of net-zero buildings.

Yet there are signs this is changing. A recent report from the British Council of Offices has called for cycle parking to play a wider part in businesses ESG policies.

End-of-trip facilities have an important part in achieving net zero, as they sit between both the construction and the subsequent wider behavioural change of employees commuting habits.

When refurbishing buildings to improve energy efficiency and sustainability, considering the impact cycle parking has on an employee’s willingness to use active travel is vital.

Here’s an overview and a two typical case studies of retrofitting cycle parking facilities to period properties.

Case Study: Buckingham Palace Road

Buckingham Palace Road is a period terrace with converted offices. It is typical of west-end London streets, with characteristic period features.

The problem for active travellers was no secure parking space for cycle storage, leaving bikes being on the street or cluttering corridors.

To help provide tenants with a higher capacity and more secure parking solution, Grosvenor got in touch to install a shelter that would suit the building’s existing character.

Grosvenor appointed Turvec to provide a shelter that was sympathetic to the existing facade and courtyard.

Using the courtyard area behind the offices, an open fronted timber shelter was installed to house two-tier bike racks. This created high density, covered and secure storage.

Adding a bike repair station and pump is a low-cost way of providing services for those choosing to cycle to work.

Case Study: Warwick House

Warwick House in Victoria contains several office floors recently refurbished by Peldon Rose.

With a small basement space designated for active travel facilities, it was possible with vertical wall mounted racks to create a secure and welcoming bike store for tenants.

Also containing three showers, lockers and a bike repair station, the bike room shows how much can be achieved with little space to work with.

Both these case studies show that cycle parking needn’t be overlooked, regardless of the project constraints. Get in touch with our sales and design team now to understand how we can help construct your bespoke cycle parking solution.