HSBC tower reimagined as tree-filled “mixed-use” building

How should the landlord of a 42-storey office block respond in a post-Covid world when the tenant gives notice to vacate? Canary Wharf Group’s answer: remove large sections of the building (in this case the HSBC tower) to create green spaces and incorporate designs for a possible hotel, serviced flats, an entertainment complex, smaller office lease areas, shops and perhaps a museum. According to CWG, which manages the building on behalf of the Qatar Investment Authority, the project from architects Kohn Pedersen Fox will be the largest conversion of an office skyscraper into a “mixed use” building, recognising falling demand for office space. The FT reports that the switch could cost between £400 million and £800 million. HSBC is heading to a smaller office near St Paul’s Cathedral in 2027, where it will occupy about half as much space.