Construction Completed on Riga Office
A new office block has been welcomed at the Baltic Quarter site located next to the iconic Gateshead Quays. The £13m development has recently been constructed and Desco were delighted to have been involved in the design stages providing the mechanical, electrical and public health services.
The building provides 50,000 sq ft of modern workspace for over 550 people and has been designed as a grow on space for the next generation of businesses in the science, technology and knowledge sectors. The development was fully let before officially opening its doors, signifying the demand of high quality workspace in Gateshead, with Riga being the first Grade A office building delivered in the area for around 10 years.
Riga is designed to British Council for Office standards with an occupancy ratio of one person per 8sqm net office space. The development benefits from the building floorplates being movable, so they can be subdivided into two or three separate demises, supporting the requirements of the current market.
The six storey building benefits from a generous shared reception within an atrium space that rises through the building and accommodates a feature stair and open balconies at each level, providing access to the office floor plates, lifts and WCs. It also features shower facilities and a secure cycle storage for employee’s wellbeing.
The Riga Office has been designed with a number of sustainable features including a connection to the local district heating facility which will bring significant benefits to the building in reducing the carbon footprint on comparison to utilising an independent gas fired plant along with photovoltaics on the roof.
It is expected that the Riga building will achieve BREEAM Excellent status and an EPC A rating.