Bristol's new sustainable office building raises the roof

Construction has ramped up on Bristol's harbourside with contractors, Halsall, raising the roof on the city's new sustainable office building, CARGO Work.

Image: Stills from the new drone film show the progress at CARGO Work.

Over the last couple of months, significant progress has been made to the stand-out Grade A workspace set in the vibrant community of Wapping Wharf.

The concrete floor decks, load-bearing internal walls and steel frames are now complete, paving the way for the creation of this new workspace for Bristol. The progress can be seen in newly released video footage of the development, which highlights the incredible views from the contemporary, open-plan offices, and the striking frame of the glazed courtyard canopy.

In the coming weeks, passers-by will see that attention has now shifted to the installation of the roof and as the final panels fall into place, work will start on the external façade.

The development is housed within the stone walls of the former J S Fry warehouse, now fully restored and exposed following the removal of the roadside walls that previously ran along Wapping Road.

Once complete to shell and core, future tenants have the unique opportunity to make their mark on the stylish building, working with the developer to design their own bespoke working environment.

CARGO Work is suited to one organisation or a small number of organisations, with space for up to 230 people across 20,270 sq ft of cutting-edge office space.

The building has been designed to be sustainable and low in energy use. Brise soleils prevent heat gain inside CARGO Work and photovoltaic roof panels take advantage of the building's sunny position to create solar energy. It will include 47 secure bicycle racks and 7 parking spaces with EV charging provision.

Wapping Wharf is already home to an array of independent shops, restaurants, cafes and lifestyle businesses on Bristol's iconic harbourside, with this established and growing neighbourhood widely recognised for its eclectic food scene. 

Stuart Hatton, managing director at Umberslade, the developer of Wapping Wharf, including CARGO Work, said: "Over the past couple of months, CARGO Work has really started to take shape and you can now truly envisage what this unique building will offer, once complete. The views evident in the new video footage highlight the incredible location this development offers, right in the heart of the city.

"We're now really looking forward to working with a future tenant, or tenants, to bring the interior design to life, breathing life into this striking, sustainable building."

The creation of CARGO Work will represent the return of this long-derelict former warehouse site to commercial use. Set on the corner of Wapping Road and Cumberland Road, near the Louisiana Pub, the site has stood empty for many years.

Lambourn Commercial and Carter Jonas are the joint agents marketing CARGO Work. CARGO Work is designed by the award-winning architects behind phases one and two of Wapping Wharf, Alec French Architects, and is being constructed by award-winning and specialist contractor Halsall.

Andy Corp, managing director of Halsall, said: "This project is one of our most exciting to date. The building is starting to come to life now that we are nearing the installation of the roof. The drone footage highlights progress on this hugely significant project, which will provide cutting-edge new workspace for Bristol in the heart of the thriving and widely praised community of Wapping Wharf." 

Wapping Wharf is widely acknowledged as one of Bristol's most exciting new neighbourhoods, with around 450 homes set alongside a vibrant community of independent businesses, which have put the quarter on the map as one of the city's go-to food destinations.

Enquiries for CARGO Work should be made to joint agents on the scheme, Carter Jonas and Lambourn Commercial. Andrew Hardwick and Kate Richardson of Carter Jonas can be contacted by calling 0117 922 1222 or emailing andrew.hardwick@carterjonas.co.uk, or kate.richardson@carterjonas.co.uk, and Damian Lambourn of Lambourn Commercial can be contacted by calling 07796 953360 or by emailing dl@lcprop.com

For further details, please visit www.cargowork.co.uk