Blue sky thinking: Outdoor spaces to take time out

Over the past 14-months or so, the value of the capital’s green, open spaces has taken on a whole new meaning. Now, with spring in the air and the weather gradually improving, many of us are looking forward to a long, golden summer filled with al fresco socialising and escapism.

The importance of green space is likewise crucial in our professional lives – perhaps more so than most of us realised. According to recent study by Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University, taking time out to enjoy some greenery during the working day has a “measurable impact” on your wellbeing, as does being able to see some greenery from your workstation.

It’s easy to understand why. The New Scientist published a recent feature summarising 10 years worth of research findings into the relationship between the natural world and our collective mental health. As you might have already guessed, the results are clear: “Being in green environments boosts various aspects of thinking, including attention, memory and creativity. Access to nature has also been found to improve sleep and reduce stress, increase happiness and reduce negative emotions.”

All of which are good reasons to ensure you’re taking some time out to catch your breath as and when you return to the office this spring. To help, we’ve listed some TOG Work Spaces throughout our neighbourhoods with green spaces to enjoy. Whether boutique terraces or sizeable roof gardens, we hope these give you some space to reset.

White Collar Factory

Shoreditch & City

White Collar Factory’s roof terrace is a one-of-a-kind at TOG, in that it’s complimented by a 150m rooftop running track – perfect for fitness fanatics. Situated just off Old Street roundabout in the heart of ‘tech city’, this contemporary Work Space benefits from recharge rooms and a bar too. Head up to the roof to relax for a few minutes, or else to power through your lunchtime cardio hit.

210 Euston Road

North

Located at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter, our 210 Euston Road Work Space rubs shoulders with some impressive institutions – the Wellcome Collection, UCL and The British Library would be naming just a few. You can get a good look at the neighbourhood from the building’s seventh floor, where lies an expansive terrace filled with greenery. Don't forget there’s a further 16 individual terraces on site where you can also get a fix of fresh air.

91 Wimpole Street

West End

Just a few minutes walk from Oxford Street, Wimpole’s imposing Baroque exterior belies a spacious and calming space within, filled with natural light. The building centres around a glass atrium that floods light down through Wimpole’s five floors, but also benefits from both a secluded central courtyard and a rooftop garden – both of which are filled with greenery, comfortable areas to take meetings, plus quiet corners to sit and relax.

Tintagel House

Victoria & Vauxhall

If Tintagel House could talk, it would doubtless have some stories to tell. The building was built as the Metropolitan Police’s HQ in the 1960s, and housed the UK’s first police computer. These days, it houses 12 floors of TOG work space instead, as well as a café, gym, 11th floor bar and penthouse, and of course, a sizeable roof garden too. Head up there to take in some afternoon sunlight with impressive views over the Thames towards Tate Britain and Pimlico.

Kirby Street

Midtown

The roof garden at our Kirby Street Work Space offers a welcome respite from the hubbub of midtown and nearby Farringdon Station. Lush planting and views across the city skyline towards St Paul’s and the Shard make for a great rooftop retreat – take in some bracing air and refresh your thoughts. We transformed the building’s care-worn 1970s looks in 2009, with help from architects Wells Mackereth. Kirby Street has since won awards for its green credentials.

20 Eastbourne Terrace

West

20 Eastbourne Terrace is the contemporary neighbour to our smaller, Grade I listed Work Space next door. Whereas No.19 was built by Brunel, this space has mid-century Scandi looks and a light, airy feel. Its heavy 1960s concrete was stripped back by architects Stiff & Trevillion, and now Eastbourne Terrace is a peaceful haven just two minutes from Paddington Station. The roof garden features a beguiling 360-degree view of the city, too.

One Lyric Square

West

With Hammersmith’s historic Lyric Theatre as your backdrop, the greenery-lined terrace of our One Lyric Square Work Space is the perfect spot for catching up on emails or chatting with colleagues. On cooler days – which, let’s face it, are frequent in London – you can alternatively spend time in the building’s indoor garden room, which is equally as verdant but protected from the elements.

Thomas House

Victoria & Vauxhall

One of our more imposing work spaces, Thomas House’s impressive regency proportions lend themselves to a space with generous, calming interiors. The ground floor is open-plan, while the building’s other six storeys benefit from plenty of natural light care of its sizeable windows. Other amenities include a gym, café and meditation rooms. The terrace and rooftop garden contribute to the space’s serene feel too.

York House

Kings Cross

This new Work Space in Kings Cross saw the transformation of a sizeable 1980s office block into one of our most dynamic spaces yet. Working with dMFK architects, we redesigned York House with a mixture of coworking space, offices, meeting rooms, plus a gym and café – all designed to encourage flexible and collaborative working. The space’s pièce de résistance is its roof terrace, made from cross-laminated timber and perforated folded aluminium. The views into central London are spectacular, if we do say so ourselves.

You can find out more about TOG’s Work Spaces across London, Bristol, Leeds and in Germany by emailing the Spaces team at [email protected]