BW: Workplace Experts has completed its first leisure and arts project with the fit-out of the joint new home for the prestigious English National Ballet and English National Ballet School. BW was appointed to fit-out in January 2018 and started on-site in March 2018. The 93,000sq ft development is located on London City Island, the iconic new riverside neighbourhood from Ecoworld Ballymore.
This brand-new building will accommodate a greatly enhanced offering for the English National Ballet, whose previous residence lacked certain amenities, including meeting rooms and production facilities. Designed by leading architects Glenn Howells Architects, English National Ballet’s new home combines state-of-the-art training, teaching, rehabilitation facilities, alongside stage-sized rehearsal studios, meeting rooms and a unique production space unrivalled in the capital.
The new location, which has stunning views of Canary Wharf, is one of the best-connected sites in London with City Airport, the Underground, DLR and bus transport facilities all in close proximity. English National Ballet sits in the centre of City Island next to Trinity Square. The luminescent building emanates the cultural offering that English National Ballet brings to the residential development which colourfully circles around it.
The completion of this stunning project illustrates that BW’s skills in the workplace sector can be successfully transferred to new sectors.
The new facilities include: • A theatre-sized production studio with five-storey fly tower for the development and rehearsal of productions and creation of new commissions;
• Seven large studios for rehearsals and teaching; • A health suite including a gym, pilates studio, hydrotherapy pool and rehabilitation facilities; • Improved Digital infrastructure which will aid in capturing and sharing work • Dedicated Engagement spaces to further English National Ballet’s work with the local community and wellbeing programme including its flagship Dance for Parkinson’s programme; • Dedicated music room and space for the English National Ballet Philharmonic to rehearse on site; • Open spaces and architectural features that will create a transparent, open, welcoming environment, sharing the creative process with the public, inside and outside the building
English National Ballet received a grant of £3 million towards the investment for English National Ballet and English National Ballet School’s new home, from the Arts Council England’s Capital Large Grants Programme, funded by the National Lottery. The Mayor of London invested £1million through his Good Growth Fund towards English National Ballet’s new building. With the support in creating exceptional facilities, the Company has the tools to launch our ambitious Bridging Neighbourhoods, Growing Talent project.
Alongside this significant support, the project received significant philanthropic support from individual donors and charitable foundations including the Clore Duffield Foundation, Dorfman Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Linbury Trust, London Marathon Charitable Trust, Wigoder Family Foundation and Wolfson Foundation. The Costume Atelier is supported by CHANEL. The shell and core of the building was generously donated by EcoWorld Ballymore.
Peter Nagle, Managing Director of BW said: “BW is extremely proud to have been involved with the fit out of English National Ballets new state of the art home at London City Island. This brings an exciting journey to a conclusion and we are delighted with the end product, seeing ENB using and performing in the space has been truly been inspiring, we look forward to this opening more doors in the arts and culture sector” The project team included: Glenn Howell Architects, architecture and design; Hydrock, M&E and structural consultant; Pulse Associates, project manager and quantity surveyor; and AECOM, acoustics.