Lovells unveils futuristic offices - and hires a hawk

HEADQUARTERS: bird of pray to protect high-tech building

Top-ten City firm Lovells is celebrating the official opening and full occupation of its new London headquarters after five years of planning and construction.

The recently completed offices at 50 Holborn Viaduct, near Lovells' other premises on the same street, were unveiled to clients last week.

The old premises at 21 and 65 Holborn Viaduct will both be retained and refurbished because the firm has grown faster than expected since work began on the new offices in 1997.

Simon MacDonagh, project finance partner at Lovells, said: 'It is easy to take the working environment for granted, but in truth our former offices went beyond "shabby chic".

The impact of the move on our people is dramatic.

Necessarily, they often work very long hours and for the first time for many years we have the sort of facilities which really help.'

The building is 12 storeys high, with levels four to ten taken up by offices, and conference facilities on floor 11, including a 150-seat high-tech auditorium.

The top floor is set aside for client entertaining, with dining facilities and a terraced roof garden.

The firm has a hawk trained to keep pigeons away from the garden.

On the lower levels there is a gymnasium, TV room, bar, restaurant (serviced by Michelin-starred chef Adrian Gilmartin), a snooker hall and sleeping pods for employees working on overnight deals.

Finally, set in the reception, but stretching up for seven floors through the middle of the building, is a giant water-operated sculpture by artist Angela Conner - said to be the biggest of its kind in Europe.

Andrew Towler