Bloomberg’s London headquarters, winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize and recognised as one of the most architecturally significant modern buildings in the UK, represents a landmark commercial development. Plowman Craven supported the scheme throughout construction and fit-out, delivering precise measurement and structural monitoring services to enable accurate reporting, compliant lease planning and safe delivery in a highly complex environment.
Spanning 3.2 acres and totalling approximately 1.1 million square feet, the development includes sustainable office space, three public plazas, retail areas and a cultural hub that reinstates the Temple of Mithras to its historic location.
The project required exceptional accuracy and careful planning due to its scale, architectural ambition and operational constraints. Bloomberg HQ includes unique curved forms, a vortex reception space, a circular broadcast studio and a 24-seat auditorium, all demanding precise measurement during the Category B fit-out stage while construction activity continued.
In parallel, the proximity to London Underground assets required continuous structural monitoring to ensure safe progress and compliance with operational requirements.
The scope included:
Plowman Craven deployed specialist survey and monitoring teams using advanced total station technology to ensure accuracy in a dynamic construction environment. All area measurement work was undertaken in line with RICS Code of Measuring Practice (6th edition) and RICS Property Measurement (1st edition), providing consistency and compliance for leasing, planning and operational use.
Surveyors systematically captured all usable office and retail space, paying particular attention to the building’s distinctive geometry, vaulted reception, spiralling central ramp, feature curves and areas of temporary flooring. Alongside measurement activity, real-time monitoring systems provided continuous assurance for adjacent London Underground infrastructure.
Outputs included precise IPMS and NIA area data, detailed lease plans, and verified spatial information to support commercial, operational and asset-management objectives.
“Plowman Craven’s approach allowed us to rethink what was possible at Bishopsgate Goodsyard. Their ability to safely capture data from complex and previously inaccessible areas was instrumental in supporting our upcycling strategy. It’s enabled us to move forward with a clearer understanding of what we can retain and enhance.”
