The Lantern is a BCO award-winning redevelopment that redefines how sustainable, connected and innovative a building can be.
The Project
Formerly known as Stephenson House, a 1960s office block, the building was reimagined by Lazari Investments as a modern, low-carbon, mixed-use hub.
Completed in 2022, the project retained approximately 33% of the building’s original structure, while adding 46% new space within strict height limits, recycled 98% of construction waste and achieved BREEAM Excellent certification.
The 181,000 sq ft, seven-storey development now features daylight-filled workspaces, sustainably sourced timber finishes, enhanced roof terraces, a ‘forest floor’ atrium, and integrated smart building systems including smart facades, efficient lighting and reclaimed waste heat.
The Challenge
Creating an environment that champions wellbeing and sustainability, while also being able to attract and retain premium technology tenants required more than just standard building infrastructure.
Lazari needed a digital backbone that could:
- Support complex connectivity demands without lengthy ISP installation delays.
- Provide immediate, high-speed services to new tenants moving in throughout the building’s phased completion.
- Integrate building management systems on a secure network.
- Maintain the building’s nature-focused aesthetic by fitting with architectural designs.
- Future-proof the building against changing tenant requirements and technology standards.
The Curve IT Approach
Curve IT worked as an embedded partner alongside Marks Barfield Architects and 8Build to design and deliver an end-to-end digital backbone from the ground up. This included:
Planning & Design
- Planning the right foundations with passive fibre and copper cabling infrastructure capable of delivering 10Gbps service speeds.
- Using specialist software to model predicted WiFi coverage across landlord areas prior to any construction.
- Specifying geographically diverse cable paths up to each tenant space, protecting against single points of failure.
- Designing a converged network to support building services such as CCTV, access control and BMS.
- Segregating building services into secure virtual networks, providing safe service access to staff and building managers.
Infrastructure Delivery
- Installing multiple communication rooms (one main and two secondary) for efficient, uninterrupted connectivity across the seven-storey building.
- Installing high-speed wireless networks across all landlord areas, including the reception, atrium, lift lobbies and basement.
- Deploying the converged network for the building systems, keeping them operational and secure.
- Validating WiFi networks post-construction to ensure real-world performance matched predictive models and design standards.
Connected and Future-Ready
The Lantern’s digital infrastructure allows it to function as a true smart building because it is able to connect, perform and adapt every day.
Key outcomes include:
- Fully resilient networks across the building that are protected against any single points of failure.
- A unified network that supports building services securely across the site.
- Consistent, high-speed WiFi coverage across all shared and landlord areas, which is continually monitored and validated for performance.
- Rapid tenant onboarding with 10Gbps service that can be delivered within 48 hours, eliminating traditional ISP delays and wayleave agreements.
The Lantern, now fully let, supports a mix of premium technological tenants, including Tripledot Studios, Bauer Media, Zenimax, Siemens, and Fujitsu to name a few. Curve IT continues to work alongside Lazari as an active partner, providing direct support for building management and tenant technical requirements.
Katherine Cherry, Building Manager of The Lantern, noted “We have a number of tenants with highly complex tech requirements in the building, and it has never been easier to get them up and running. Curve IT has made the onboarding process effortless. New tenants are connected and operational with no delay or disruption – it is business as usual from day one. That is something that can be hard to come by when undergoing a business move”.
Beyond the Build
The Lantern demonstrates what’s possible when digital infrastructure is treated as a strategic asset instead of an afterthought. From the earliest design stages, Curve IT considered every technological detail to help create a building that stays connected, secure and adaptable as its tenants needs grow and evolve.
The result is a resilient digital backbone that supports sustainability goals and technological innovation, and the landmark set a new standard for low-carbon mixed-use developments in London’s commercial landscape.
Want to know more?
Curve IT consults with developers, architects and contractors to deliver buildings that are connected and operationally ready from day one. Get in touch with our team to talk about your next project.
