Iconic Financial Times building in Southwark set to be revamped but people have mixed opinions

By Grainne Cuffe, local democracy reporter

The iconic Financial Times building in Southwark is set to be revamped but people have mixed opinions.

The distinct seven-storey building was home to the FT newspaper for 30 years before it moved offices in 2019.

Communications company WPP, which has a long lease on the building, is planning to turn it into a new office campus with a completely new façade and extra storey.

The refurbishment was unanimously approved by a Southwark planning committee on Tuesday evening (September 7).

Heritage charity the Twentieth Century Society objected to the plans, saying the FT building is “distinguished” and that the new plans would “drastically” change it.

Residents raised concerns the new building would look too similar to others in the area.

Two journalists who work in the areas said the new exterior would be too “generic”.

Eamon Farhat said: “It’s better the way it is – [the plans] would be more generic. I walk across this bridge every day and the building really does stand out.

“It’s black and a bit ominous – [the plans] look like everything else in the area.”

His colleague Khadija Kothia agreed.

The 23-year-old simply said: “It’s the FT building.”

Isaac Spencer said: “Just from the picture [the plans] look quite nice but it’s not that old and it would be good to preserve it.”

Henry and his partner Ava said it should stay the same.

He said: “It would be nice to keep it in its original state – you don’t want everything looking the same.”

Sean Waldron, 66, said both the plans for the revamp and the current building look “distinguished”.

The 66-year-old said: “You could have either – a lot of buildings that age would be neglected and run down, but it seems quite well reserved.”

Others backed the refurbishment.

A police officer, who did not wish to be named, said as it stands it looks like a “security building”.

He said: “The new plans look good with a nice little terrace. They’ll have a nice view. I won’t be able to use it but they’ll benefit from it.

“[Now] it looks like a security building, completely blacked out. It needs some light.”

WPP hired Architecture consultant firm BDG, which it also worked with on the revamp of the Sea Containers building in South Bank, to design the plans.

The company is also working with WPP to design the Rose Court building, just opposite the FT building.

According to WPP: “We envisage a building which is contemporary, confident and bold and very much of its place, temporally and physically.

“The external fabric of the building, roof coverings and façade, are nearing the end of their serviceable life and will be replaced to bring them to current building regulation and environmental performance standards.

“As a conceptual link to WPP’s mission statement for ‘openness and connectivity’ the existing, dark glazed façade is removed and replaced with a high-quality, double-glazed curtain wall system.

“Primarily glazed and transparent, portions of the façade will be solid where covering parts of the structure or back of house areas at ground floor level.”