🟩 GreenBricks Building of the Week 🟩 Tea Building

Brewing green

Built for the iconic Lipton family in 1931, the Tea Building was used for smoking bacon in the 50s, then for packing tea. Today it is an ‘Ideas Factory’ of creative industry – a blitz-surviving flagship of East London’s new economy.

📍Location

Shoreditch, E1

🏢Building Details

• 280,000 sq ft., 8-storeys

• Light touch refurbishment of 1931 warehouse

• Reconfigurable + affordable office space, galleries and eateries

👷🏾‍♀️Developer & Contractor

• Rich Oliver – Former Senior Asset Manager @ Derwent London

• The Thornton Partnership

✍️Architects & Engineers

• Simon Allford – Founding Director @ AHMM

• Philip Levack – Former Architect @ AHMM

• James Santer – Director @ AHMM

• Timothy Neville-Lee – Associate @ AHMM

• Lizi Cushen – Former Associate @ AHMM

• Will Chan – Former Architect @ AHMM

• Alan Tovey – Partner @ Jackson Coles

🌱Sustainability

• EPC B + light touch reinvention of previously redundant building

• Set of low-cost spaces designed to be easily reconfigured to meet evolving tenant needs

• Window upgrade: single-glazed replaced with new Crittall-style double-glazed – with solar thermal film + opening vents for cross ventilation

• Enhanced lighting: all lamps replaced with high-efficiency PIR bulbs (Passive Infrared Sensor) – automatically switch off during peak daylight + zero occupancy

• High efficiency rooftop heat exchanger for complete energy sharing: provides a hot + cold water thermal loop through the building for heating or cooling of any unit

🥦 Wellbeing

• Common spaces are generous, hard-wearing, uncomplicated – a cobbled reception provides a central hub with breakout spaces and in-house barista

• Spaces defined by artwork: multiple galleries including Rocket Gallery; art displayed daily and rotated every 3 months

• 5th and 6th floors home to Soho House members’ club – equipped with gym and rooftop swimming pool

• 24 hour onsite commissionaire

🎈Bonus feature

The ground floor is home to Michelin-starred Lyle’s Restaurant – #33 in the world’s best 50 restaurants. Stripped back, seasonal, modern British cuisine, with one Google review stating: "My partner even cried whilst eating the main dish… it was incredibly amazing!"

🔗 Check it out https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/office/tea-building/