Lloyd's Register

Founded in 1760 to survey and classify merchant ships for insurance purposes, today the expertise and activities of Lloyd’s Register extend far wider than the shipping field. In addition to its marine activities, Lloyds Register have operations covering management systems, land-based industries, railways, oil and gas, with 200 offices and over 5,000 employees worldwide. Their historic home in Fenchurch Street in the heart of the City of London includes the historic Grade II listed building at 71 Fenchurch Street which was purpose built for the company in 1901 and includes some of the finest sculpture, joinery, plasterwork and metalwork of the period.

Following various phases of expansion throughout the twentieth century and the acquisition of a number of adjoining properties, the company was once again in desperate need of more space. An abortive attempt to move the entire headquarters to the Hampshire countryside into a new purpose-designed facility, also designed by RRP and only abandoned due to local objections, prompted Lloyds Register to commit to a long term future at their existing site in the City.

The brief included a number of key objectives: to safeguard the existing listed building as a flagship for the development; to preserve the Lloyds Avenue conservation area that includes St. Katherine’s Churchyard; to provide an appropriate entrance to the churchyard and a new visual presence to Fenchurch Street; and to provide Lloyds Register with 24,155 square metres (260,000 sq ft) of efficient, high quality, modern office space.