Old Street's New White Collar Factory Has A Sky-High Running Track

The staff at this super-sustainable office block in Shoreditch are taking their lunch-time runs to the next level with this 230-foot rooftop running track that has incredible views of London’s cityscape.

White Collar Factory is the culmination of 20 years’ hard work and painstaking research from architect firm Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) and property developer Derwent London, with the aim of creating an adaptable, pioneering and long-lasting development that will have a positive impact on its new home in Old Street.

Director of AHMM, Simon Allford, says: ‘What began as a research project into the design of an idealised 21st-century office building evolved over time into a suite of six buildings of light, volume and character, gathered around a new public space – Old Street Yard. Each of the six, through their generosity, elegantly and economically accommodate the programmes of today, those we anticipate in the future and those we cannot yet imagine.”

Unlike most contemporary high-rise office blocks these days, you can actually open the windows for natural ventilation rather than relying on the aircon, plus staff are encouraged to cycle with a two-level cycle hub that has space for almost 300 bikes in the basement. Other features of the six-building development include studios, an incubator space, restaurants and apartments.

Working with the ethos of ‘less is more’, raw materials are prominent in the design of the office block, with concrete providing practical benefits such as the bespoke ‘Concrete Core Cooling’ ecosystem, yet it’s also used for aesthetic purposes too – left exposed rather than rendered, it creates a bold and expressive finish.

Inspired by 19th-century warehouses and industrial buildings, the architects took elements of these historical structures, such as passive exteriors for solar gain and high ceilings, and incorporated them into the design of the 237,000 square-foot White Collar Factory.

To find out more about the space, click here. For more sustainable architecture, check out the world’s first forest city, and this skyscraper made out of wood.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.