A refurbished authorities workplace in Whitehall has acquired an trade award for accessibility, in accordance with the Authorities Property Company (GPA). The GPA stated its hub at 22–26 Whitehall had been awarded Inclusive Environments Recognition by the Development Business Council, in acknowledgement of its method to inclusive design in a historic setting. The constructing brings collectively the Grade I listed Ripley Constructing with the adjoining Kirkland Constructing and is now used because the London headquarters for the Division for Science, Innovation and Know-how. The location varieties a part of the federal government’s wider technique to rationalise its property and create shared workplaces for civil servants.
The popularity follows a programme of refurbishment accomplished in 2025. The work was supposed to modernise the constructing whereas sustaining its historic character, with a specific deal with bettering accessibility for a variety of customers.
In keeping with the GPA, the challenge launched step free entry all through the constructing, alongside energy assisted doorways and improved circulation routes. Accessible showers and altering amenities have been additionally added, in addition to upgraded welfare provision.
The workspace itself features a vary of settings designed to accommodate other ways of working. These embody peak adjustable desks, assembly rooms and quieter areas supposed to assist focus. The company stated these adjustments have been designed to assist each particular person and collaborative work.
The Inclusive Environments Recognition scheme, run by the Development Business Council, assesses how nicely buildings meet the wants of individuals with a broad vary of bodily, sensory and cognitive necessities. The GPA stated the award displays the best way accessibility had been built-in into the design and supply of the refurbishment.
The company additionally famous that that is the primary time one in every of its listed buildings has acquired the accreditation. Adapting heritage buildings to fulfill present requirements can current technical and regulatory challenges, notably in central authorities places the place many workplaces are traditionally important.
The Whitehall hub is a part of the Authorities Hubs Programme, which goals to consolidate authorities departments right into a smaller variety of shared workplaces throughout the UK. The programme is meant to cut back the scale of the federal government property and assist extra versatile use of area.
The GPA is chargeable for managing and remodeling the civil service property, together with the supply of recent hubs and the refurbishment of current buildings.
