Architect Stride Treglown has transformed a dated 1970s office building in the UNESCO World Heritage Setting of Bath.

Originally built in 1972, the six-storey building at 20 Manvers Street did not meet the demands of modern occupiers, with plant at the end of its useful life and dark, dated interiors.

Despite the constraints of its setting between two listed buildings, Stride Treglown has successfully repositioned the building within the Bath office market with the scheme being fully let to DC Thomson and Chase DeVere prior to completion.

Removed plinth – one metre high, ground floor slab to back edge of pavement to remove visual barrier and improve relationship with street scene. Planning gain – improvements mitigated additional space on roof.

A new glazed entrance has been introduced at pavement level with the original plinth being removed to vastly improved the building’s street presence. A rooftop glass box, providing an additional storey, adds a further contemporary feel to the scheme whilst giving occupiers panoramic views over the city.

A spacious reception area designed using a palette of high quality materials creates a sense of arrival.Communal areas are designed with high-quality, durable finishes and the provision of shower, changing and locker facilities encourages the use of cycling, running and walking, as well as the possibility of exercising at lunchtimes.

The previous substandard office floors have been refurbished into highly desirable modern workspace. The replacement of the existing windows with full height, high performance glazing has created a light, airy open plan space. Externally the Bath stone of the facades has been repaired, repointed and cleaned.

The building layout and services have been designed to provide maximum flexibility in occupation whilst the client’s sustainability brief was exceeded with the building achieving a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ and EPC A, superior to many new buildings.